


An egregious agreement

by Effenay



Series: Starcatchers x P5 crossover [1]
Category: Original Work, Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Conspiracies, Dialogue Heavy, Double Life, F/M, Gen, Government Conspiracy, Hidden Worlds, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm rating this M for a reason, Lore - Freeform, Mentions of Violence, Might deviate from canon, More plot fic than shipfic, OC x Persona 5 Crossover, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Persona 5 Spoilers, Secret Societies, Self-Loathing, Sexual Harassment, Sexual assualt, Shadows - Freeform, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Spies & Secret Agents, Tags May Change, Unreliable Narrator, fictional societies, messy subplots, prologue arc, self-destructive behaviour, world-building
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:21:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 79,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23738269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Effenay/pseuds/Effenay
Summary: Being a spy of a secret organisation made it clear to Mira Saito that she could never live a normal life. After being assigned to a mission to investigate the strange happenings in Tokyo, her involvement becomes a detriment to the team when a certain celebrity detective becomes suspicious of her.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Starcatchers x P5 crossover [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2127123
Comments: 10
Kudos: 24





	1. House keeping notes and announcements

First and foremost: I am not familiar with the Persona series as a whole, as I only know P5 and P5R. After someone mentioned that Persona’s an extension to Shin Megami Tensei series, I would also like to note that I don’t know that series well either. What I write here is merely an experiment to see if my unused characters could fit well into this.

With that said, I will say that the pieces I integrated into this fic is based off of stories/ideas that me and my brother had created in my growing years. Some specific magic systems implemented are ours, so are the original characters and organisations. At the end of the day, respective P5 characters are not owned by me, some of the plot points are not of my own making. They belong to Atlus, and their respective rights. In hindsight, I could have written this off without the P5 setting, but I guess this is my way of trying to write myself out of writer’s block.

Yes, I have a terrible list of unfinished WiP in A03. I don’t know how I’ll be able to face those works. I swear though, I would at least hope to finish some semblance of a fic because I am tired of leaving loose ends.

I must confess however, that this work specifically is something I’m really anxious about. Since this piece involves characters/concepts I held close to the chest for years, I don’t know how other people would receive them. There’s also the fear that someone might rip them off and plagiarise them (yeah, I think I’m getting ahead of myself).

**EDIT: 21/08/2020**

Here is where I am currently at:

University has come back and I am swamped with my work. As of now, my rewrite progress has covered from the Prologue to chapter 7. Chapter 8 is almost finished in its rewritten process, but I am held back by assessments currently. I was hoping to at least finish rewriting these past few chapters before my birthday but... haha... I guess life has other plans in mind. So anyway, I said this many times before, but I wanted to at least try and finish a big story project like this at least once. (the other finished fic technically didn't count, because that fic was written in like a collection of short fics).

On that note, thinking about this now, I guess I could technically call you guys my beta readers? I know my grammar is less desirable and sometimes my vocab sucks, but I tend to be blind-sided on certain areas of my work. So thank you again to my readers, followers and people who've been dropping kudos on this fic. This fic may be shabby, but for as long as someone is reading this work, I keep doing my best in this fic. (still gotta do assessments though, so my progress might be delayed further)

**EDIT:12/10/2020**

Current status:

I'm sick, and my assessments are weighing on my back. At the moment, Uni semester is almost ending in a few more weeks, which means all of my units are pouring into the same deadline pot. I don't know how I'm going to survive this. haha... Rest assured, this fic is still going. It's just that... well. I've got a ton of stuff to fix in terms of characterisation with the rest of the starcatcher crew. (When will I see the end of this? XD)

Now without further ado, let the show begin.


	2. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT FOR NEWCOMERS:  
> if this is the first time you've read this fic, there will be a lot of inconsistencies for the next few weeks or so. I'm slowly posting up the re-written version of this fic chapter by chapter, so when there are key scenes that do not align with the previous chapters, it means that chapter hasn't been 'fixed'.  
> Thank you for your patience.
> 
> Updated on 17/07/2020

The world was dyed in red.

Walls of Shibuya Station pulsed with its splayed red vines across its surface; throbbing at a pace of a heartbeat. He took his strides down the black void, hand on his mask; ready to rip it off to summon his other self.

More than a year has passed since he woke to the phenomenon of accessing the cognitive world. Be it a god or devil, he could not have been luckier to be granted with this mighty gift.

Yet, despite his cruel intentions, Goro Akechi never intended to take away lives. But necessary concessions had to be made if it meant earning the trust of his sworn enemy.

The cognitive world was an endless maze; twisting, turning and burrowing deep into an endless cavity. A year’s worth of infiltrating and exploration enabled Goro to know what he was looking for and where to find it. He scoured the area, following the railway tracks and was met with shadows wandering around aimlessly. The creatures’ movement were slow and unnerving; especially with their large, black masses for bodies, stamped with multiple masks and dangling arms that sway with every step.

He took the tactical advantage.

“LOKI!”

His dark, crow-like visor burst into sapphire flames; summoning a giant apparition that reflected the boy's black-hearted thoughts. The giant was covered with zebraic patterns, a pair of tall devil horns stood from its head and twin-tailed braids that fell to the length of its body.

With every ounce of his long-suppressed rage, Goro commanded the chaos god: “Kill them all!”

His persona heeded, summoning a curse attack; shockwaves of raw power struck his unsuspecting foes; their bodies burst into nothingness within seconds.

Not wanting to deviate from his goal, he continued in hot pursuit; his mind relentless in seeking out his next target. He let his instincts lead the way, following the warping trail.

 _It’s close,_ he surmised, following where the bent tracks would lead him.

Soon enough, he found what he was looking for: a distortion barrier. Its wall warped in kaleidoscopic patterns of black and red. Goro didn’t want to waste any more time and passed through it, expecting to find his prey.

Inside was a cavern of red and black cords, tangled up in a heap that mirror a den of snakes. At the centre of the heap, a scrawny, elderly man hunched; his whispy hair combed to the side; eyes shining an ethereal gold.

 _Another old croon,_ he mocked inwardly.

“Who dares to cross paths with me?” the hunched figure sneered. “Do you know who I am? Anyone who crosses me will soon be met with disgrace.”

Goro said nothing, seething his anger beneath his stoic exterior.

“The only crime they’ve ever committed was getting caught,” the croon laughed. “I have built my name on thousands of cases! I am the emissary of justice and truth-!”

“-Shut up.”

The persona user pierced the hunched creature by the throat, his serrated blade now stained with black.

“Monsters like you are the reason why the young will forever be trampled by the old,” he said coldly, the old creature gurgled at his own ink blood. “Emissary of Justice? More like a fossil that doesn’t know when they’ve long been expired.”

The man clawed his hands to the air, only to have his body crumble.

Goro turned his heel towards the exit and halted.

A rattling noise of echoing laughter shook the walls. Raising his head, he saw a wraith floating at the corner of the ceiling.

It was draped in a black, smog-shroud; its head faceless as its spectral cloth frayed and curled in tendrils of shadow.

Goro summoned his persona once more; calling upon his ideal self, Robin Hood. The giant’s body stood valiantly, armed with a golden feathered bow, its face resembling a mecha robot’s head. At its chest wrote initials of the hero’s name, designed to mirror the golden age of comic book heroes.

“Hamaon!” he commanded; the heroic persona drew back its bow and released its arrow at the floating shroud.

The blow slammed its body onto the floor, only for the shroud to raise itself back up and laugh insidiously.

“a MeRE moRTaL wIshEs to sSTRiKe mE dOWn?”

He summoned another attack; a gilded arrow of light pierced the shroud; but the creature remained afloat.

“iT woUlD taKe mORE tHan thiSs To dEFEAt me,” it hissed.

“We’ll see about that!”

With an outstretched hand, he commanded; “ROBIN HOOD! MEGIDOLAON!”

The giant musters a spectre of light and rained down his attack upon the wraith. Its impact brought forth a shockwave, ballooning it across the perimeter. The creature shrieked, crumpling to the ground adjacent to where the old man lay.

He watched its body crumble, making certain that there’d be no more surprise attacks. Vestiges of its body ashen with each passing second. Satisfied with the results, he resumed to exiting the enclosed space.

Unaware that the wraith; with the last of its fragments, latched onto the corpse beside it and swallowed it whole.

* * *

_“Situla to Gemma. I repeat, Situla to Gemma.”_

Mira answered her radio buzzing in her ear; “This is Gemma. What are your orders?”

_“For the sake of protocol, Gemma, keep an eye out within your perimeter. Make certain there are no witnesses before Vega does his duties.”_

The agent sighed, tugging her hood over her head, preparing her gear within a manga café cubical. It’s been a year now since she had been assigned to this operative; gathering intel on strange occurrences of accidents and psychotic breakdowns. But at the end of the day, she was merely a footman, someone who’s purpose was to keep her eyes peeled for anything unusual.

Being part of the S.G.I. for better or worse, was a decision she reluctantly made; regardless of whether it was by choice or not, there was no other option. After the things she had seen; the things she did; the lives she destroyed? Add her grandfather and uncle into the equation, it almost seemed inevitable that there’d always be a Saito joining the aforementioned Secret Global Intelligence.

But being a footman insider meant that her roles were often menial-level; none of those high-risk jobs that specialists and elites were assigned to.

 _“Situla to Gemma, do you read me?”_ her superior’s static voice hardened through her earpiece. “ _Please respond, Gemma.”_

“I read you,” Mira answered, hooking up a medical mask over her face. “I’m going in.”

 _“Sunshine to Situla,”_ a cheery voice buzzed into the conversation. _“Shibuya’s one heck of a city, isn’t it?”_

_“*sigh* Please focus on the task, Sunshine.”_

_“Didn’t we already secure the root of the anomaly?”_ Sunshine continued. _“I thought this code red was already fixed-”_

_“Are we seriously having this conversation right now? Focus!”_

“I guess foreigners really do speak their mind,” Mira murmured to herself.

After fixing a few loose details, she set out of the cubical booth, slinging her bag over her shoulder and perched a pair of thick-rimmed glasses on the bridge of her nose.

Setting out into the open streets of Shibuya, her eyes drank in the crowded streets; brilliant lights shining like stars against the grey buildings. Nightscapes of the city were a sight she never grew tired of, despite living within the urban plains for most of her life.

Setting herself to work, she walked down the path, her back straightened as opposed to her usual arch when she poses as a student. Her current role was as menial as her last one; inspect, observe, collect intel. Leave the rest of it to the specialists of her team. Except for this case, she was required to accompany Vega to their potential target’s location.

The agent peered over Shibuya crossing, setting herself to her task as she wandered her way towards central street.

_“Gemma, Vega will be joining you within central street.”_

“Roger,” she muttered.

Just as her superior informed her, a pale-faced boy in the standard SGI black parka jacket, standing by the vending machines, eyeing the vessel with curiosity. Several heads turned towards him; his foreign features aside, his albinism stood out in a crowd of her fellow Japanese citizens. Low conversations hung in the air, mentioning his strange features with bemusement. Mira grimaced a little, knowing how well her teammates stuck out within her local streets.

The boy’s amethyst eyes looked up to her direction. She gave a small nod and approached him.

“I found of Vega,” she said to the speaker.

When she reached him, the boy crossed his arms, lifting his head up to the towering buildings.

“I’ve said this before,” he began solemnly. “But the there’s something wrong with this place.”

Mira didn’t say a word but nodded.

“It’s as if… something has possessed this city,” he continued. “It’s nothing like I’ve ever felt before.”

“Let’s go,” she tilted her head towards the narrow street.

The boy nodded, trailing her as they bypassed numerous shops. The albino glanced from side to side, making her wonder if Vega had ever seen cities likes Shibuya before.

Having memorized the streets, Mira led them towards an isolated alleyway; locating their potential target.

There a raggedly dressed woman lay on top of a pile of flattened cardboard boxes; her skin worn down like old leather; her body shivering against the late winter air. Vega knelt beside her, closing his eyes as he muttered something under his breath.

Light emanated from his hand, a sight that never failed to fascinate Mira. But this was no time to let herself be amused by such things.

Her brown eyes scanned the perimeter, making sure there were no other stray wayfarers apart from them.

“This is Gemma,” she said to her radio speaker. “Vega’s started-”

“Traces of his fragments dwell within her,” the boy said over Mira.

 _“*sigh* Vega. Could you have at least proceeded these things with caution?”_ Situla’s voice sounded disgruntled. _“What would have happened if someone spotted you?”_

The boy’s hand hovered over the woman’s body; his fingertips painted with an ethereal glow. Mutters escaped his lips and the woman started to convulse.

“Stay back,” the boy ordered, to which the insider complied.

Clenching his hand into a ball, he flung it back. With it, a black misted apparition spewed out of the woman’s unconscious form. Mira gasped, retreated her steps as the black haze floated before him.

“Begone stray,” his voice hardened with command. “This vessel is weak.”

“nO maTtEr wHat vesSeL I cHOose. The MorE I coLlect. tHe mOre I bEcOme…” The creature laughed insidiously; its voice was hoarse like a rattling of hollow echoes.

“Vessels who dwell within the Northern Realms are neither endowed or powerful,” the boy stretched out his hand to the haze. “Anomalies like you won’t last in this realm.”

“heHehE… this land IS a fErtiL GarDen beD of mY pResSencE… FoR aS long as hE is hEre, I will fLoUrish.”

Mira bit her lip, her limbs trembling at the apparition.

 _“Gemma. What’s happening over there?”_ Situla asked.

She tried to string her words together, only to be left open-mouthed at the anomaly creature.

“You are but a stray fragment,” with his glowing hand, Vega swiped it into the haze; dispersing the haze into thin air. “Leave us.”

And just like that, the anomaly vanquished from their presence.

“T-this is Gemma,” she swallowed hard before she took in a deep breath. “The fragment’s disappeared. Vega took care of it.”

The insider heard her superior sigh, _“I swear, if he continues to do these things on his own, I’m going to have to pull him out of this mission myself.”_

“The matter has already been dealt with,” said the albino. “I don’t think there’s anything else to do here.”

The homeless woman on the floor groaned, then shuffled to sleep on her side. Vega stood by for a moment, then slipped off his jacket to blanket the woman’s shivering body.

“This is the least I could do,” he softly spoke to the sleeping woman, bowing his head reverently.

He looked up to meet Mira’s gaze, to which she nodded and turned her heel back towards Central Street. Her thoughts clouded her mind, still shaken at what she had witnessed earlier.

“It’s understandable that you’d be troubled,” the albino nonchalantly said. “Having a fragment of Dark Matter manifesting before your eyes is no doubt, frightening.”

“…I-I guess,” the insider turned to him. “But this is something I have to get used to, right?”

“No,” he grimaced. “It wouldn’t be right if an encounter of those stray fragments would become an everyday occurrence.”

“Right…”

The two silently made their way to the station, the albino drawing in the occasional head-turns and curious stares from the locals. Mira pondered over the nature of her assignment, being reminded once again of how different she was from everyone else.

To know of a mystical world hidden from the public eye. To be trained to keep her eyes and ears peeled to classified information. Unable to establish proper relationships with people outside of her organisation.

Just as she ruminated over these things, the public centre screen of Shibuya Crossing broadcasted the midnight news reel.

A boy of seventeen was featured, catching the attention of the two agents. Mira looked up; her brown eyes widen in recognition. It wasn’t hard to forget his face, not with his light brown hair, vermillion eyes and his calm, mature demeanour. It shouldn’t be a surprise by now that this boy would be featured on the big screens of Shibuya.

On the bottom of the screen rolled the words;

_‘Member of the ministry of Health and Safety killed in traffic. Investigators are yet to conclude whether it was suicide or accident.’_

_“-we had the opportunity to have Goro Akechi, who is part of the investigation team to speak on their behalf.”_

_“We are yet to uncover the nature of this unfortunate event,”_ the boy featured onscreen spoke. _“As of late it would be rash of me to disclose any deductions or opinions on the matter.”_

The screen switched to the news reporter. _“With the growing amount of cases that share similarities to last night’s incident, concern is spreading among the general public-”_

“A friend of yours?” Vega head-pointed at the screen.

“No,” Mira said absentmindedly. “Just a classmate.”

* * *

Goro strode himself out of the red-tainted world and back into the nightscape of Shibuya’s main square. Within a blink of an eye, the empty streets were suddenly populated with people leaving no trace of the red world in his view.

 _“You have returned to the real world,”_ his app declared.

Upon finishing tonight’s duties, Goro called in his driver and have him pick up nearby Shibuya Crossing. He walked over to the wayside of the road and waited.

At the heart of the iconic crossing, the public screen broadcasted the late-night news reel:

_‘Member of the ministry of Health and Safety killed in traffic. Investigators are yet to conclude whether it was suicide or accident.’_

_“-we had the opportunity to have Goro Akechi, who is part of the investigation team to speak on the team’s behalf.”_

His phone rang, drawing his attention away from the city screen and frowned at the caller id.

_‘Shido’_

_“When can I expect to see results?”_ the caller demanded as soon as Goro had the speaker pressed to his ear.

“You’ll know soon enough,” he replied coolly. “I’m finished for the day.”

_“You better not disappoint me this time.”_

The call ends before he could say anything else, and so Goro pocketed his phone and stared out into the night sky.

 _I’m almost there._ He thought. _Just a little more and he’ll finally be within my reach._

In the corner of his eye, he saw a white-haired boy accompanied with a black-hooded individual crossing the street. He thought nothing of it and aligned his sight towards the open road, waiting for his ride to arrive.

* * *

Who would have thought their worlds would collide.

There he was, standing before her.

There she was, standing before him.

Despite all efforts, despite all the skills drummed into her, Mira Saito knew she was screwed.

Never in her seventeen years of her life has she ever been caught red-handed by anyone in her entire life.

_And of all things, it had to be the detective prince himself._

“So, Saito-san,” Goro Akechi waved his phone at her. On the screen revealed undeniable proof of her secret occupation. “Care to explain was _this_ is?”


	3. First encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> forgot to mention. Trigger warning for sexual assault.  
> Edit: Re-written chapter updated on 17/07/2020

Sitting at the front row, closest to the windows, the Higure student stared out into the overlooking view, keeping one earbud hooked on her left ear.

The same words make it over the airways.

_‘Detective Prince’_

_‘Prodigy detective’_

Shallow terms to make the hottest topics sound hip to the general public. Mira rested her head against her hand, looking over the empty desk that sat adjacent to the classroom door.

_Goro Akechi on seat number 10._

News of his latest victory whispered through her earbud.

 _Good for him,_ she thought.

Mira Saito, like most of her other classmates, didn’t know Akechi well. He was well-mannered, meek and seemingly awkward when it came to engaging in small talk. It would certainly be cliché for her to admit how different he was, compared to other boys of her age. She couldn’t put a finger to it, but it definitely wasn’t due to his ‘princely’ nature… Or maybe it was the case.

_Not that I should care._

“Saito!”

“Y-Yes?!” she jolted out of her seat to find her math teacher glaring at her.

“Why don’t you come up here and solve this problem?” he tapped on the board.

Her cheeks flared as she awkwardly stood up. Staring at the conundrum her teacher had written on the blackboard, she knew she was doomed. Mira strode towards the class podium, feeling the humiliating stares from her classmates.

* * *

_“-in your own words, what do you think of these mental-shutdown cases?”_

_“It’s too soon to call it anything more than a coincidence. In the area of my expertise, we often assume it’s a consequence to overwork and the lack of a balanced lifestyle.”_

Listening to the 24-hour news radio, the Higure student stared out through the train window. The podcast acted as white-noise to dampen the awkward silence that came with the crowded carriage. Despite the supposed stressful setting, Mira often found the train ride home as some sort of reverie; reliving what little fond memories she had from the past.

_“So, you think it could be due to the-”_

_“No, no. I only said we often assume, but even among the people who die from fatigue, they would-”_

Shrilling girls jolted her attention away from the podcast. The carriage doors opening to the sight of her classmate; Goro Akechi.

And just like that, the entire atmosphere of the carriage shifted. Hushed conversations changed their tune, as the detective’s presence instantly became the centre of their dialogue. Shy giggles could be heard from the back corner of the carriage. Some passengers obviously feign ignorance, minding their own business but made a few glances at his direction.

If she had more courage, she would greet the detective as a fellow classmate. But alas, she knew if she did, all eyes would follow her and hound her for questions.

She turned her attention back to the podcast, but at the brush of someone’s hand on her leg; her muscles stiffened. Mira held her breath, more than tempted to turn her head around. Just as she decided it was probably an accidental brush on her leg-

Heated fingers crawled on her thighs. Her breathing hitched, mind growing numb with shock. She had one more stop to go. But with every brush of these intrusive fingers on her stocking-covered legs, she shuddered.

Unable to move. Too ashamed to speak out.

She’ll have to endure this till either she or whoever this was would leave the train.

_No… if I leave, there’s no telling this person would follow me-_

It would be a lie to say she couldn’t defend herself. In truth, she could throw her elbow at the culprit in the gut, tell this damned pervert he’s messing with the wrong girl. But within this packed carriage, the fear of mistaking someone else as the culprit was something she would not stand for. If she screamed, then the entire carriage would know of her humiliating predicament. Just as these stray thoughts flew past her, those spider fingers crawled up higher.

“S-stop it…”

She could barely make a whisper out of her throat. Her eyes were now welling up with tears. The giggling and hushed conversations deafened her silent pleas.

The train announced its nearing arrival. Enough incentive for her to push her way towards the closest doors in panic. Etiquette and politeness be damned; she didn’t care anymore if her fellow passengers would judge her for her lack of decency.

“Please let me through!” her voice quivered, pushing past another commuter.

“H-hey!”

Her movement ceased and turned around.

It was Akechi, staring at her with a surprised look on his face.

_Ah. Today really sucks._

She made a quick, apologetic bow and avoided his gaze in shame. When the doors slid open, she wrestled her way out of the carriage, only to have her earphone wire caught in someone’s bag and yanked off her ears. She squeaked in panic, a flood of struggling bodies push passed her in their exit, her phone slipping off her pocket and heard a loud ‘clack’ on the train floor.

“Ah-! Wai-!”

The doors signalled to close. She stood there helplessly as a wave of passengers kept pushing their way into the carriage. Despair crawled on her back, a cold weight curling her posture into a hunch.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Akechi’s voice perked her head up.

Her absentee classmate struggled passed the human wall and found his way out. When he reached the exit, the doors slammed shut behind him and the train immediately sped out of the platform.

Mira stood stalk-still as the detective approached her.

“I believe you dropped this?” he presented her phone and earphones before her.

“Thank you,” she muttered as she took them from his gloved hand. “Akechi-san.”

“…Saito…san, am I correct?” his mouth curled into a polite smile.

“Um, yeah,” she dolefully nodded. “I’m Mira Saito… I’m surprised you remembered.”

Her classmate chuckled. “Forgive me for being rude, but I may have sleuthed my way into ‘remembering’ your name. You had a message on your phone and I happened to see it.”

“Oh,” she turned the screen on to find her superior’s message displayed on the lock screen. “Haha… silly me.”

“Judging by your appearance, and the way you greeted me, I take it you’re from my class?”

She nodded, her eyes averting his gaze.

_Can this day get any worse than this?_

“Saito-san? Is something wrong?”

Her head drooped, hands frantically shaking at the memory of that humiliating experience on the train. “It’s… nothing…”

“…It’s not my place to pry, but did something happen?” he asked. “If there’s someone or something serious is bothering you, you can tell me.”

“I… well…” she bit her lip, trying not to let the tears fall.

Silence fell between them.

“…Say, Saito-san. Care to join me?”

Mira lifted her head up slowly. “H-huh?”

“There’s a café nearby that opened just recently,” he continued. “Why not I treat you for some coffee to help you calm down a little.”

“Th-this is too sudden,” she flustered at the sudden proposal. “I’d be imposing on you-”

“It’s fine, my treat.”

Perhaps it was his smile that convinced her to follow him. Or maybe she had been too drained from everything to refuse his offer. Before long, they arrived at the café and settled into one of the tables. One of the waitresses set two glasses of water before them, taking up their order.

Any fangirl of his would’ve been flustered by now, had they been in her shoes. But to have a celebrity see her in such a pathetic state was less than ideal. It agitated her rather than elating.

“Um, Akechi-san?” Mira began. “Why did you invite me to this place?”

“I know it was quite a shock to drag you here,” -he took a sip from his glass- “But earlier on the platform, there was a man staring at you as soon as he got off.”

She felt her spine grow cold.

“I didn’t want to make any hasty conclusions,” he added. “So, I invited you over to see if he’d be daring enough to tail us.”

“W-wait… is he… still nearby?”

“Seeing that I haven't seen anyone particular lurking around, I think my invitation must’ve scared him away.”

With a little hesitation, she murmured, “Thank you.”

“Anything for a fellow classmate of mine.”

Mira hunched over, tugging her long umber hair to hide her face.

“I’m so pathetic,” she murmured.

“Now why would you say that?”

She lifted her head, her brown eyes met with his vermillion ones.

“I… today wasn’t going well for me,” she finally confessed. “After making a fool out of myself in Horizawa sensei’s class, I had someone yell at me. Then to top it all off…”

“Yes,” Akechi urged politely.

“Someone… groped me on the train…” she felt her cheeks burning, her gaze fell to her lap. “It was so sudden, I couldn’t… I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to make a scene, but I couldn’t bear it any longer.”

She swallowed hard and sniffled, willing herself not to cry before him. Just saying it aloud to a classmate she barely knew didn’t help. An overbearing silence fell between them, leaving her to wallow in her own thoughts and self-loathing. A waitress came over, placing two cups of freshly-brewed coffee and two slices of chiffon cake on separate plates. Mira didn’t have the courage to lift her head while Akechi thanked the waitress before she left the two of them alone.

“Saito-san,” he finally spoke.

The girl lifted her head.

“First, I’d like to apologize,” his usual soft expression tightened with a hint of authority, taking her by surprise.

“But… you did nothing wrong.”

“I’m apologising to you because I did nothing while you had to go through such a traumatising experience,” he insisted. “To know this was happening while I was on the same carriage already puts me to shame as a detective for not noticing.”

“It was packed, you wouldn’t have known-”

“It’s still inexcusable to overlook such behaviour.” He stared back at her; eyes narrowing with conviction. “What are his features? Did you see his face?”

She shook her head.

“I see,” he nodded. “If that’s the case, for now, the best course of action is to keep an eye out when you’re alone. If it happens again, you must speak out about it. Although, considering that there was that man who had an eye on you earlier, I’d assume he might have been the culprit.”

“I… I am so sorry for making you do this for me,” Mira bowed her head.

“It’s alright. If anything, it would weigh heavily on my conscience not to do something about it.” Before she could apologise once more, he added; “Rather than apologising for something you clearly have no fault of, wouldn’t it be better to say ‘thank you’? I am offering to pay for this, after all.”

His smile bore a glint of mischief in his eyes.

“…huh,” she straightened her posture, leaning back on her chair. “You’re… not what I was expecting, Akechi-san.”

“Oh? And what sort of image did you have of me?” he said, unveiling a playful side of him she’d never expected to see.

“Er…” she held her tongue, realizing what she had gotten herself into.

“Go on, I won’t be offended.”

“…A meek celebrity who’s awkward in small talk…?”

He scoffed at her answer while retaining his usual poise. “That certainly isn’t the first time someone regarded me in that manner. But I guess being a regular absentee in class might have given you that impression.”

“Ah-! Forget I said anything,” her cheeks burned once more.

“Why not? It’s not like you’ve offended me or anything.”

“It’s embarrassing to say it to the person in question!”

He laughed at her reaction, apparently amused at her flustered state.

It didn’t take long for Mira to find a comfortable pace with him. The more they talked, the more pieces she uncovered about him. Apart from his duties as a detective, he bore the same issues, the same sentiments as any high schooler would. Rather than a celebrity prince, or an overly serious boy of her age, he was merely as human as anyone else.

Just as the thought crossed her mind, her phone buzzed in her skirt pocket.

She looked at her phone and frowned. On the screen showed the caller’s name; _‘Situla’._

“I’m sorry,” Mira quirked a small smile. “But I have to take this.”

“It’s fine, go ahead,” Akechi nodded.

The agent stood up, wove her way out of the café, pressing the call icon on her screen.

“Gemma,” she greeted.

She heard her superior sigh through the speaker. _“I know you have a lot in your plate as a normal high school student, but we have less than two hours left to prepare.”_

“Sorry. Something came up just now, so-”

_“I am sorry to say this, but remember we have our gig coming up for tonight.”_

Mira narrowed her eyes.

_“Gemma?”_

“I understand. I’ll be there soon.”

Switching off the screen as soon as the call ended, she took a deep breath with released it slowly. Comparing her streak of unfortunate events, she knew there are worse things to come.

“Come on, you can do this,” she muttered.

Just as she turned back to the café entrance, her head smacked onto someone’s shoulder.

“Ack! Sorr-!”

She looked up to find Akechi holding the door open with his suitcase in hand.

“Careful,” he said.

“Sorry,” she bowed once again.

He chuckled, “I’m more than certain I’ve heard enough apologies from you today.”

“Ah… right,” she then paused, eyeing his briefcase.

“It was nice talking to you, Saito-san. But unfortunately, there are some things I have to attend to. I’ve already paid the bill, so there’s no need to worry about anything.”

“Oh no, Akechi-san. It was my fault for holding you back on my account. I’m so-” -she stopped herself and corrected- “thank you for accompanying me today.”

“It was a pleasure, Saito-san,” with a small nod, he promptly made his exit.

Her gaze followed his back till his figure dissipated into the distance, her earlier glooms and agitation temporarily forgotten. Rather than being star-struck in the presence of a televised celebrity, a relieving thought came to mind. Apart from his part-time career, he was normal. Someone who didn’t dip his feet into the shadows.

A smile crept up her face as she hurried her way back to the share house.

“I’m home,” she announced upon her arrival.

Mira set herself into her room to change. Discarding her uniform in favour of her work gear. A black cladded uniform, consisted of an over-sized parka jacket, a pair of practical combat leggings and a bullet vest that resembled a winter singlet over a normal shirt.

Tying her hair up into a practical low bun before her mirror, a thought crossed her mind.

Mira Saito could never live a normal life. Not when she was forever bound to a world unbeknownst to the public.

**Evening**

On the outskirts of the inner city, Goro Akechi stood by the wayside within the narrow streets, knees bent as he observed the latest victim. Death by dual knives with deep lacerations on the arms and chest. The victim appeared to have defended himself during the attack. Judging by the depth of the wounds and the severity of the slashes, the matter was made apparent this killer was a professional.

“How about it, kid?” Detective Mitto asked. “You think this was the same guy?”

“The answer is as you suspected, Mitto-san,” Goro stood up.

The series of accidents and psychotic breakdowns aside, the detective was thankful the police had been tight-lipped about the rampant killer on the loose. If the media caught wind of it, there’d be no telling what _that man_ would do. Not when Shido had been more demanding of writing off more people on his list as of late.

“Anything on the victim?” the young detective asked.

“The victim’s name is Arata Ito,” Mitto read from his notes. “And before you ask, yes, the guy has a criminal record for harassment. He was just acquitted last month for sexual assault and well, here we are.”

“Acquitted, huh?” Goro held his chin thoughtfully. “Now that’s rare, given the nature of our judiciary system.”

He eyed the victim once more before forensics laid a blue sheet over the body.

“Well, Akechi-kun,” Mitto clapped his shoulder. “You worry more about this killer; let the adults take care of the victim’s families.”

_What a gallant way of saying don’t get all haughty on us._

The young detective folded his arms and leaned to the side in thought. So far, there have been three incidents, all involved were victims who had no correlation to each other. If it were a serial killer, the victims would have shared a distinct characteristic.

_The matter is quite obvious isn’t it?_

“A hitman,” Goro muttered.

“Hm?”

“So far, the one thing common between these victims are their ties to a criminal underbelly, or have a criminal record,” he began. “It’s easier to suspect that we’re dealing with a classic case of vigilantism. But based on the nature of their work, our suspect has experience in how they execute their victims. In conclusion, I suspect we’re dealing with an assassin on our hands.”

Mitto paused, then laughed, “As expected from our ace detective. But we cannot deny the possibility we’re dealing with a vigilante who happens to be an assassin.”

“Of course,” the boy nodded. “It’s all merely speculation. But if my hypothesis is correct, it would be better to look into the victim’s enemies. It’s all possible they might have hired our suspect to do their dirty work.”

The investigative team continued, taking notes on any evidence the forensics uncovered. When the hour struck eleven, Goro dismissed himself from the crime scene, collecting his notes while he was at it.

The day was, once again busy, yet uneventful. Apart from his current duties aside, there wasn’t anything else to think back on. Now that he made a name for himself, the world was watching him; and with it came the pressure of keeping up his image. His grades, his public reputation and his civil duties.

As he walked down the empty street, a shard of memory crossed his mind.

Cold white tiles scented with cleaning agents.

Sterile blue walls.

The lifeless body of his mother lying there on the autopsy table, breathless. Lifeless.

“Tch,” he grimaced at the memory.

His struggles were nothing. He knew better than anyone else that someday, all his efforts; his sacrifices will soon come to fruition.

Just as he reflected on these things, a shadow moved within his line of sight.

Halting his steps, his eyes were now watchful of his surroundings. The streets were dimly lit, black wires that hung on the telephone poles casted long silhouettes on the asphalt floor. A small breeze and the buzzing of currents filled the air.

A familiar sense of unease crawled on his back as he promptly made his way towards the station.

A faint tapping of footsteps trailed behind.

He pretended not to notice and continued onward, his senses on high alert for any surprise attacks.

Then, another set of footsteps approached, this time, more urgent and hastened. Goro turned his head and witnessed a black-cladded figure lunge in and knocked down a towering figure to the ground.

The detective turned a corner to hide, poking his head a little and saw something he never thought he’d see in the real world. The black-cladded figure had a smaller frame, attempting to subdue their opponent who was twice their size.

The man on the ground grabbed hold of his attacker, twisting their leg and turned the tables around to have him hold his opponent down.

“NOW VEGA!”

The hooded individual screamed; their voice sounded feminine.

A ghostly pale figure entered the detective’s vantage; a boy in his mid-teens with unruly-bleached hair and bone-white skin that appeared to illuminate beneath the moonlight. He carried a staff with a large jewel sitting at the top.

The pale boy struck the ground with the end of his staff, a glaring light flashed. The detective shut his eyes to shield his vision from the blinding flash; upon opening them, he found the man, the pale boy and the black-hooded figure disappear from his sight.

_Am I imagining things?_

He took a step out of his hiding spot, staring blankly at the empty street.

Something strange was going on. Something he’d never have imagined occurred right before his eyes, only for it to vanish within a single blink.

He dared to step forward, making sure to see if what he saw was not more than a mirage. A few steps more, suspecting there was definitely something hidden right in front of him. Goro stretched his arm out; and lo and behold, a small spark of light flickered at the touch of the invisible barrier.

_Interesting._

He had his fair share of strange happenstances, but this was by far the most glaring one of all. The detective retreated back to the corner where he hid and waited, expecting something even more outlandish to come out. Brandishing his phone, he pressed the camera app to record the deceivingly empty street.

And just as he had expected, the invisible barrier flashed once again; unveiling the pale-faced boy carrying an unconscious man on his back and the hooded figure adjacent to them.

“This is Sirius to Situla,” said the hooded figure, confirming his suspicions this person was a girl. “We’ve extracted the shadow fragment.”

_Shadow?_

“-It’s too soon to tell if these psychotic breakdowns might be caused by Dark Matter,” the girl continued. “…Yes- yes… Alright… Look, I’m sorry I messed up… No. No, it’s not… *sigh* fine. We’ll meet at the rendezvous.”

Goro watched as the figure turned to her pale-faced companion.

“Stick to the plan and leave this train station,” she said to the boy. “Mi- Gemma informed us the station master will call in authorities to handle him.”

The boy nodded and followed his companion’s instructions, heading over to the opposite direction to where the hooded stranger was.

Pulling her hood back, the stranger walked into the light. The first thing the detective saw was her copper skin and her raven hair braided up. Goro waited until he was metres away from her to follow this strange individual.

Surmising her features, he suspected she was possibly around his age. Apart from her international features, nothing else about her appearance stood out.

The question that hung in his mind was why a foreign girl of her age would be wandering about in this neighbourhood at this hour. What bothered him the most were her words.

_‘Shadow’_

_‘Fragments’_

_‘Psychotic breakdowns’_

_‘Situla’_

That last word in particular, bore a semblance to a name he saw earlier on his newly acquainted classmate’s phone.

* * *

Mira stood by the Kichijoji platform, hood up with a medical mask on. Thomas, the second in command officer of her team, accompanied her for the night. With news that their mission for the night was a success, all that was left to do was to wait for their returning team members at the station.

The agent pondered over the overall status of the organisation.

In retrospect, it boggled her how the SGI was able to exist within this information age. With its global scale of influence and its ties to secret societies and hidden worlds; makes one think how they were able to hide themselves within the shadows of the public. They acted like gatekeepers of greater knowledge; harbouring secrets like the existence of the Mystic Isles an archipelago made up of denizens endowed with magical abilities.

 _But to think that a century and a half year-old organisation could be so careless to let those anomaly fragments to slip off their radar._ She scrunched her forehead at the thought.

Sneaking a glance at Thomas, it bemused her inwardly; knowing this youthful-looking boy was two years older than her. He was slightly tanned, with auburn locks and golden umber eyes. As opposed to her supposedly inconspicuous attire, he wore an autumn-coloured vest over a pale turtleneck and faded blue slacks. All her life she was made to wear clothes that wouldn’t stand out in the crowd. And yet, an SGI specialist garbed himself with fashionable clothes, effectively contradicting the many lessons she was taught.

“This place truly lives up to its reputation,” Thomas smirked. “Of all countries of the Northern Realms, Japan had always been my number one go to on my list.”

His statement took her by surprise. “Oh, is that so?”

He nodded. “Petals that fall like snow in the middle of spring; buildings complimenting the changing seasons; shops and city lights that shine without relying on stones or endowments. Min-figurines. Maid cafes. Things like that are amazing to look at.”

Mira crinkled her brow, wondering what kind of Japan was he even talking about. As far as she knew, apart from the mentions of figurines and maid cafes, she was certain other countries like England or America would have had the same things he just listed.

“Welcome to Japan, I guess?” she forced an awkward smile then paused. “The country you’re from. Does it have those things you mentioned?”

“Hmm, yes and no.”

“No?”

“Gildaar’s possibly the only country of the Mystic Isles that resemble cities of the Northern Realms. We have electric lights too, but thanks to endowments and orange stones, we don’t have to mull over problems like gas heaters and wi-fi. Oh yeah, internet and trains don’t do well there either. The Mystic Isles itself is at most, a century behind compared to the Northern Realms, so consider it a living time-capsule.”

“I see,” she nodded.

“I must admit,” he added. “I’m a little envious.”

“Huh?”

“Not having to worry about anomalies and apparitions; curses and endowments,” he glanced down at her, casting a smile. “When I see Northerners crossing the streets, unaware that there’s a shadow lurking around that’ll likely possess them; I guess ignorance can be bliss sometimes.”

She remained silent, a little envious at how Gildaarians are able to speak their minds with such confidence. Mira didn’t think of herself as timid, but a part of her didn’t feel comfortable enough to speak her thoughts. Les, that the receiver might make sordid conclusions about her.

_Speaking of words-_

“I’ve been wondering this for a while,” she final spoke. “I’ve met a few Gildaarians before and all of them seemed to be able to speak Japanese fluently. Are Gildaarians taught how to speak other languages?”

“Oh that,” he scoffed. “It’s kinda hard to explain. Hm… think of it as something that we were born with. Mystic Islanders in general have this- tongue that could be understood in different languages. The only problem we have is the writing. Alphabet; Kanji; Sanskrit; I’m usually terrible at reading Northerner writings.”

The station announced the train’s arrival right before Mira had the chance to inquire what he had just said.

_“-Shinjuku line on platform 1. Please stand behind the yellow line.”_

The train doors flashed open and in came the flood of night stragglers flowing out the carriages.

Mira and Thomas waited for the flood of passengers to subside, keeping an eye out for their team member among them. It didn’t take long for her to spot the esteemed agent, not with her sun-kissed skin and her cold, blue crystal eyes. Thomas, on the other hand crossed his arms; his smile fell to a flatline at his fellow specialist.

“Reina,” he shook his head. “I know you feel partially responsible for this whole business, but please try not to do anything drastic? Linda already chewed our heads over this.”

“I… I’m sorry,” Reina chewed her lip. “I won’t do it again.”

“You better not,” he scoffed. “Come on. Let’s head back and-”

“…Saito-san?”

Mira froze. A few feet from where her teammate was, Akechi stood, his eyes widen with recognition.

“A-Akechi-san?” she stuttered. “Wh-what a coincidence.”

“This person was helping me get to the station,” Reina turned to the detective and made a small bow. “Thank you again for helping me get here.”

“It was a pleasure,” her classmate returned the gesture and shifted his attention to Mira. “Who would have thought we’d be able to meet two times in one day.”

“Y-Yeah,” Mira nodded. “I’m sorry for all the trouble my housemate’s been giving you.”

_I am so screwed._

“No, not at all. Perhaps it’s fate that brought me along,” Akechi laughed a little. “I’ll look forward to seeing you in class, Saito-san.”

“Likewise,” she forced a smile.

_Crap, I am so screwed._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still think my grammar is still lacking, but I digress.


	4. Suspicion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rewritten chapter updated on 17/07/2020

Four days.

Four days of hellish anticipation and anxiety and still, the source of her anxiety has yet to show up to class that week.

At the sound of her phone buzzing on her bedside, she groaned as she pushed herself out of her bed. The exhaustion that came with her work and her school ought to have made it easier to sleep at night. But ever since Akechi found her on duty, Mira cursed her mornings.

His celebrity status aside.

_He’s a freaking detective. Someone affiliated with the police!_

“Ugh…” she wanted to dig a hole and hide.

In spite of it all, she knew there was no use running away. Pulling the duvet off her, she reluctantly made her preparations for the new day.

Stumbling her way towards the kitchen, the scent of unfamiliar spices wafted to her nose. There her superior stood by the burner, stirring the pan in hand. Linda Tinders; code name Situla.

She was a tall woman with a youthful complexion whose obsidian eyes exude an aura of a respectable, responsible commanding officer. Mira often saw her donning a serious expression and her long ebony hair tied back into a half-braid. She was the kind who was strict with her subordinates and even more so with herself.

“Morning,” her superior greeted, her attention focused on the pan she was tending to.

“Good morning, Tinders-san,” Mira nodded.

“Just settle down on the table. Breakfast will be ready in a moment.”

As she sat on the long table, her two other housemates entered the kitchen.

“Oh, Morning Mi- Whoa! You look like hell,” Thomas jolted at the sight of her.

“…Is it that bad?” Mira lowered her gaze at the uniform to see what was wrong with it.

“Oi, Thomas!” Chamomile, code name; Sunshine, slapped her brother’s shoulder. “She doesn’t look that bad.” She then turned to Mira, “He’s just exaggerating, as always.”

“No need to hit me this early,” her brother grumbled.

“Morning Chamomile-san, Thomas-san,” Mira greeted.

“Morning,” they greeted in unison.

Tinders walked over, carrying the pan with her and settled it onto the table.

The share house was neither big nor compacted like other apartments within the city. Which was rare, granted how most others would have narrower halls and compacted spaces for lounges. Though the share house had the usual small bedrooms, the common rooms were wide enough to take in eleven tenants at most. The interior itself was, in Mira’s own words; homely in interior and aesthetic. But despite how homely or generic the house was, she knew that this was merely a façade for the public to see.

Within this share house, there nine tenants currently living in it, all of whom were agents of her current operative team, the Starcatcher operative. The building itself acted as a partial base of their operations as well as a safehouse, posing as a share house for international workers and students.

The insider was no stranger to foreigners, given the nature of her work; but after having met agents who come and go once their operation is over, it was easy to not to get too attached. As a consequence, she had a reserved habit of keeping her opinions to herself as much as possible.

“Any word from your classmate?” Tinders inquired.

She shook her head. At this rate, she might have to opt herself out of the operation, now that her presence was met with suspicion.

“It’s possible it might just chalk up to an uncanny coincidence,” Chamomile shrugged, taking her share of the morning meal. “And you say he’s a detective _and_ a high school student?”

Mira nodded as Tinders scooped some of the stir fry from the pan and passed it to her.

“If he asks, just tell him a sprinkle of truth,” Thomas pointed his spoon at her. “I mean, it’s not a lie that we’re all housemates and your uncle’s the manager of this place.”

“I suppose…”

“What do Northerners say in times like these, hmm?” he leaned his head to the side in thought. “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade?”

“I’m pretty sure that’s not the right phrase for her situation,” Chamomile said sardonically.

* * *

The journey to school merely added more stress. The morning stragglers rushing through ticket gates, jam-packing into what little space is left in the carriages. Having learned her lesson from four days ago, she made it a point to have her back against the train doors. Allowing her to find something stable to lean against while keeping her eyes peeled for any pervert who might touch her again.

Shuddering at the thought, she plugged her ears to the radio.

_“-patrol have announced that it will take two hours on estimate for traffic to be decongested within the area._

_Another of our top stories today, talks of reforming the judicial system have once again been brought up-”_

_“-The next stop is Nagatacho. Nagatacho. The doors will be opened on the left side,”_ the train announcement had Mira ready herself, fixing her bag strap over her shoulder.

She followed he flow of exiting passengers the minute the door slid open. Upon reaching the doors, ahead of the crowd stood a familiar mob of light-brown hair and beige jacket.

_Oh no._

Her heart drummed in her chest at the impending exit. Her back arched, her head hung low as she stepped into the escalators. With three people drawing the gap between her and the detective, the best she could hope for was for him not to turn his head around.

 _Please don’t see me,_ her mind frazzled in a loop as the escalator continued to ascend.

She raised her head up to take a peek; brown eyes met vermillion orbs.

“Shoot,” she muttered under her breath.

The detective shot her a composed smile, his hand raised to greet her. The most she could do was give him her awkward smile by the time they reached the station’s exit. The detective stepped side, giving way to other passengers; making his intentions clear he wanted to give her a proper greeting.

“Good morning, Saito-san.”

Her feet touched the station.

“Morning, Akechi-san,” it took every ounce of her energy to sound composed.

“I trust that you and your friends came home safely?”

“Uh, yeah, we did. Thank you for asking.”

She could’ve sworn her brain was frying.

They headed over to the station’s exit, tapping their tickets at the gates as they did. The road to school felt longer as an unbearable silence fell between them.

As opposed to his calm demeanour, she was sweating bullets, thinking of ways on how she could dampen his suspicions. Recalling their conversation at the café, Mira wondered how she was able to find a comfortable ground with him on their last exchange.

“You always take this route to school, Saito-san?” his words rocked her back to reality.

“Yeah,” she answered quickly. “I live in Kichijoji, so commuting by train is inevitable.”

“Makes sense, after seeing you there at the station. Which reminds me-”

_Here we go-_

“It’s not my business to pry, but it’s a little unusual for a high schooler like yourself to be hanging around the public that late at night.”

“Oh, that,” she forced a laugh. “I don’t know if I mentioned it before, but I live in a share house. The people you met were all my housemates. All of them… aren’t familiar with the area, as you can tell. So, we agreed to meet up in the station.”

“I see,” he said thoughtfully.

“A-Anyway,” Mira quickly added. “Before I forget, thanks again for helping me back then. You helped me in a pinch twice in a row now, but I don’t know how I could repay you-”

“It’s fine, it’s the least I could do as part of my civil duties.”

Before long, more Higure students in their black and beige uniforms passed them by, all headed towards the same direction. After turning a corner, they arrived at Higure Academy.

Within her periphery, a few students walking past them eyed the detective prince briefly before they went about their business. A few of them giggling and squealing at the sight of him.

_Shoot. I forgot about that._

For the first time in all her seventeen years of her life, she broke her one rule of staying out of sight.

If she continued to associate with the celebrity detective any longer, there’d be no end of trouble to her quiet high school life.

Akechi turned to her, bowing his head before her as though he intended to make a scene before the building’s entrance. “Now that we’re well-acquainted, I’ll hold onto what you said earlier. I’ll be in your care, Saito-san.”

The gesture stupefied her for two seconds before she quickly reciprocated; “L-likewise. I look forward to it.”

Her classmate made his strides into the building; numerous pairs of eyes followed him as he entered, just as a few glanced towards Mira. Though she sensed their stares weren’t necessarily malicious, she knew she’d have to work extra hard not to stand out any more than this.

* * *

Goro’s desk sat adjacent to the classroom doors, his attention focused on the teacher at the podium. Regardless of the doubts that floated in the back of his head, he still needed to focus on catching up with his classes. Taking down notes, answering whatever questions the teach had thrown at him; he understood better than anyone else he needed to maintain his image if he wanted to survive.

Back then, he didn’t pay much attention to his fellow classmates. Their faces come and go, some daring enough to ask about his involvement with the investigations as an excuse to be near him. There were the occasional snide remarks on his popularity, something he concluded to be an inevitable sentiment among them.

As soon as lunch break began, girls in his class didn’t hesitate to clamour around him.

“Hey, Akechi-kun,” one of them began. “I saw you on tv this morning. Is it all-”

“-what you said on the news regarding the mental shutdown cases,” said another. “Do you really think-”

“-I’ve been meaning to ask this for a long time. Can I get your autograph?”

He made a side-glance at Saito, who’s desk was situated as far back to the window across him. Her long umber hair was left unkept, her face bearing not discernible features. No make-up nor accessories; following the ideal uniform dress code to a tee. A student who could pass the archetypical ‘plain’ girl with no personality.

_Or is that really the case?_

“Excuse me for a moment, I need to talk to someone,” he stood up and crossed the room towards Saito’s desk, effectively ignoring the small crowd of girls.

Saito raised her head, her left ear blocked with an earphone.

“Akechi-san? Is there something you need?” she asked.

“Have lunch with me,” he said, calculatedly pulling a smile on his face.

After the hassle of lining up for bread from the cafeteria, Goro climbed to the highest flight of stairs. On the top of the platform, Saito sat on the top step with her bento on her lap and both ears plugged with her earphones.

“Did you wait too long?” he asked, taking a seat a few feet away from her.

“No, not really,” she shook her head, removing the audio device from her ears.

“Itadakimasu,” he opened the sandwich from the packaging. As he took a bite, he glanced over his classmate. “Do you make your own food?”

“Not always,” she answered, making no side comments on the subject. Instead, she diverted the subject; “Why did you invite me here?”

“I don’t know our class very well,” he said, taking a sip from his bottle. “And you don’t seem to be the type who’d flaunt over your status by associating with me. And if I’m being honest, it’s a good opportunity to draw away a crowd of my followers. I hope you don’t mind.”

She tightened her lip, putting her guard down as she let a smidge of emotion slip.

“I guess that can’t be helped,” she sighed. “I mean, I do owe you for that incident.”

“I’m glad we could make a compromise,” he beamed.

As they ate their lunch together, he prompted questions in the guise of small talk. His classmate responded in kind, seemingly not letting anything remotely useful slip from her. The more he probed her, the less ideal her answers were. It became apparent to him that despite all appearances, she had the means of not giving away so much of a hint of herself or her opinions.

“You really aren’t what I was expecting, Akechi-san,” she finally said, wrapping her bento box into her bag.

“Perhaps I’d like to apply that statement to you, Saito-san,” he rested his elbows on his knees, turning his head in full view of her. “Despite your reserved nature, you seem to affiliate yourself with interesting people outside of school grounds.”

His classmate flinched.

 _Interesting,_ he noted. _Shall I risk it?_

“W-what do you mean?” she asked timidly. “If you’re talking about my housemates, it’s inevitable to be acquainted with them when we’re living in the same unit.”

“Yes, I suppose,” he nodded. “But you seemed impartial to the idea of being dragged along by your housemates’ late-night activities.”

Saito’s face fell a little, but seemingly recovered, her timidness expression morphed into one of obvious embarrassment.

“I-Is that how it looked like?” she forced a smile then paused. “Wait… what do you mean by late-night activities?”

“Just a few days prior, I saw you in the middle of Shinjuku hanging around with a few foreigners,” he answered. “Two of them I recognised from the time we met at Kichijoji.”

Her face fell.

“Uh… that…”

Goro noted on her expressions, her gestures, her fingers fumbling with each other. It’ll be too rash of him to proceed to interrogate her on the spot, knowing that winning her trust was his priority.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to put you on the spot,” he said, his eyes fell with a frown. “Ever since I’ve been moonlighting as a detective for a while, it’s become a habit of mine to question everything. But… I can’t help but suspect you might have been in some sort of trouble.”

“I-I’m not in any sort of trouble at all,” she insisted. “I know how bad it looks, but I can assure you, my housemates are good people. They just wanted to see all the tourist spots around the city. Honest!”

_Is that really the case?_

“Even within the red-light district?” he prodded. “Wasn’t it not long ago that a few shutdown incidents occurred within that district?”

“…They… they didn’t know about that…” her words deflated.

It was too soon to tell, if she had been lying to him or not. They were barely well-acquainted, but based on her fidgeting behaviour, Saito might’ve been the sort who’d easily break under pressure.

 _This is will be troublesome,_ he thought.

On one hand, people like her would be the first to break loose and unveil all her secrets to someone she’d trust. On the other hand, the opposite might prove to be true; the harder the pressure, the harder it’ll be for him to have her open up to him.

Much to his surprise, however, she once again recovered, only this time, her expression fell into a solemn frown. “Akechi-san.”

“Yes, Saito-san?”

“What were you doing in Shinjuku?” her eyes were no longer wavering. “You couldn’t have known I was with my housemates unless you’ve been there yourself to see it.”

He smiled wryly, “Would you like to know?”

“Yes.”

The detective was slightly taken aback by her sudden confidence, but realized how double-edge this conversation was becoming.

“I was in the middle of an investigation, making my rounds to finding clues surrounding the psychotic breakdown incidents,” he answered. It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the whole truth either. “Why, were you suspecting me in taking part of some scandalous activities, Saito-san?”

“I never said that,” she soured. “I just think it wouldn’t be fair of you to assume of my circumstances without considering the current position you just put yourself in.”

That was a first, seeing a girl of his age to redirect his questions towards him. Not that he’d assume that all girls were dull-witted, but he never expected the fidgeting Saito to manoeuvre the conversation with ease.

His classmate then stood up, carrying her bag with her as she did.

“I’m sorry, did I upset you with something I said?” he asked cautiously.

Saito glared at him.

“I’m disappointed,” she said, her eyes now cold and unfeeling. “I’ve had my doubts, but I never thought you’d be that sort of person, Akechi-san. Good day.”

* * *

Her stomach churned, feeling sick from the acid that burned inside of her.

She clapped her hand to her mouth.

 _Don’t throw up,_ she thought, but her stomach rebelled.

Mira ran down the steps and headed towards the closest ladies’ room she saw. She slammed the door open, frightening the two girls who stood idly by the water taps. She rushed past them and headed to the first open cubical, spewing out the contents of Tinders’s home-made meal.

 _What a waste,_ she groggily thought before she threw up again.

“Um, are you okay?” she heard one of them ask.

The agent ignored them; her limbs quaked, lethargy eating away her strength.

It took every ounce of her energy to worm her way out of that conversation. Though her confidence in her acting ability was convincing enough, she knew he’d be smarter than that. He may not have said it directly, but it was clear as day.

_He definitely saw us._

How much did he see? He might have already witnessed what her team had been doing. Worse still, he might have seen her teammates’ _unusual_ abilities.

He had every right to suspect her, but that wasn’t why she was upset.

_This isn’t good, at this rate-_

_‘You’ll fail.’_ the words echoed in her ears.

After she emptied out her stomach, she flushed the contents away, wiping her face with her handkerchief.

“I…I’m sorry for the trouble,” she wearily said, her movements sluggish as she headed over to the sink to wash her face and mouth.

Two pairs of pitying eyes silently followed her. There was no doubt that the small scene she caused would be another topic of someone else’s small gossip. She dared not look at their faces, wiping her face and hands with the square patch of cloth before she left the area.

She spent the rest of the day in the nurse’s office, briefly explaining to the nurse of what happened before she asked for some anti-acid tablets. The nurse suspected it was a case of overworked fatigue and anxiety, granting her permission to rest a while on one of the beds.

The minute she laid her head on the pillow, her mind toiled away with thoughts. Dangerous thoughts.

What if she was wrong?

What if he was just genuinely concerned?

The many ‘what ifs’ hounded her psyche, accompanied with her knowledge of the many consequences that came with it.

Just as she thought she finally made a name for herself, this happened.

Mira curled her body into a ball, fingers clawing at the pillow as she willed herself to sleep.

* * *

Her phone buzzed in her pocket; her body jerked her awake.

Mira took out her phone to see that the last had long since ended.

_Great._

She eyed the screen to find a message from one of her associates; ‘Tsubaki’.

“Oh, you’re awake.”

The girl jumped at the sound of Akechi’s voice.

“Ah,” he smiled guiltily. “I apologize for startling you.”

Her classmate dragged a chair to sit next to the bed, resting his suitcase on his lap and unlatched its clasps.

“W-what are you doing here?” she sat up from the bed.

“Horizawa-sensei informed me to hand these over,” he said, rummaging through his things before he raised a few sheets in the air. “It’s all the workload you missed during our last class.”

It was obvious to her it was just an excuse. The thought irked her if he had been there the whole time after classes ended. The last thing she’d want was someone watching her sleep.

Her mood fouled as he handed over the small stack of paper to her. Whatever it was he suspects her of, she knew her entire operative team was at stake if she wasn’t careful enough. The last thing she’d want was for both parties to suffer the consequences.

“Thank you,” she said quietly, expecting him to leave as soon as she held the papers in her hands.

Much to her annoyance however, he remained seated and rested his suitcase on the floor next to him.

“Is there something you want from me?” Mira said coolly, holding back the urge to run. “If not, excuse me, but I’d prefer to be left alone.”

“…Are you still upset with what I said during lunchtime?”

“Yes,” she lied. “Yes I am. I don’t like being treated like a victim. Nor do I like it when someone insinuates that the people around me are a terrible influence. I’m sorry to say this Akechi-san, but the last thing I wanted is for someone who barely knows me, lecture me about who I can and can’t be with.”

Her classmate blinked, apparently surprised at her changed demeanour.

“If you don’t mind, I have an appointment with someone,” she shuffled out of the bed, slipping into her shoes.

She felt his gaze follow her, weighing her down.

 _Don’t you dare cross that line,_ she thought, knowing what happens to those who cross paths with an SGI agent, regardless of their rank.

“I apologize.”

Mira turned around to see Akechi staring back at her with a sullen frown.

She didn’t like that. She was terribly weak to those sorts of expressions. But she didn’t want to give in.

“It looks like I overstepped my boundaries,” he said, his tone a little more morose. “So, for that, I apologize. But,” -the timbre of his voice lowered- “I do believe the company you’re keeping aren’t who you think they are.”

He took a few steps forward, taking out his phone and swiped on the screen. The insider knew she didn’t like where this was going.

_If its from his phone, it could only mean-_

He flipped his phone to her view, there, he showed her a photo of an albino carrying what appears to be an unconscious man, accompanied with a sun-kissed skinned girl.

It was specialist agents Cobe; codename Vega and Reina Orion; codename Sirius.

Mira raised her brows, then lifted her gaze to Akechi, who now wore a grim expression.

“A few nights ago, I’ve seen one of your housemates attacking someone to the ground,” he continued, his eyes narrowing. “Then, just the other day, I saw you accompanied with the same group of individuals in Shinjuku. I know it’s too soon for me to draw out shallow conclusions, but it seems apparent your housemates aren’t the sort a Higure student like you should be associating with.”

This was it; damning evidence that was irritably difficult to deny. The girl panicked inwardly as she willed herself to stay calm.

“I understand why you’d be upset,” he added. “But I’ve said this before; I cannot overlook such acts, regardless of the circumstances. Unless, of course, you or your friends might have a good explanation for this.”

She huffed a frustrated sigh, rubbing her temples.

“What do you intend to do with that?” she asked, glaring at her coldly. “You and I both know a mere photographic isn’t enough to incriminate someone.”

“So, you’re not defending your housemate’s actions?” he lifted a corner of his mouth. “I assumed you would have fought harder to deny what I showed you.”

“I never said anything about denying or agreeing with your accusations, Akechi-san,” Mira retorted. “I’m saying that not everything you see first hand is all that it seems. I-”

Then it hit her.

_He’s onto us. He won’t say, but he’s definitely onto us._

_Photo aside, he might have more hidden in his sleeves._

“Excuse me,” she quickly said, grabbed her bentou bag and stormed out of the nurse’s office.

The insider glance over her shoulder to see her classmate leaving the room.

* * *

Goro watched her back trailing off to the direction of their classroom and quirked a smile.

 _Well, well._ He mused.

He initially entertained the idea it was all possible Saito had nothing to do with the two suspicious individuals who posed as her housemates. But what he uncovered was something far more intriguing.

If she hadn’t known of their questionable activities, she would have gasped in shock at the evidence he presented. Instead, what he got was someone who was far too calm in light of his revelation.

The two things he had confirmed was one: she knew of their activities. Two: she is a collaborator in whatever it was they were doing.

The next question was how do they connect with the psychotic breakdown incidents.

It’ll be troublesome if it turns out these individuals were investigating those incidents independently. Knowing fully well, that if they were, there’d be more individuals added into Shido’s hit list. The other problem was fairly obvious; he couldn’t tell what they were capable of, seeing that some strange magic was involved.

_I’ll need to confirm this for myself before I do anything else._

“Good afternoon, Akechi-sempai,” two underclassmen greeted him.

He gave them a silent wave of acknowledgement before he turned his heel towards the stairwell down.

_It seems things are taking an interesting turn._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had fun writing this chapter. But I still can't decide if I want to follow in-canon plot or make it deviate towards something more original. I mean, its kinda difficult to decide whether I want to with the Persona awakening route (aka she goes to mementos, joins the phantom thieves, etc.). Or have the story focus on my original scenarios where its all about investigations, cat and mouse exchanges, etc.
> 
> Edit (to the readers who saw the first version of this fic):  
> So this the part of the fic I wanted to fix the most. I realise Akechi's character wouldn't shallowly reveal his cards too easily on the basis of two circumstantial evidence. Not to mention, it would make more sense that he'd take the time to process what he saw. The earlier version didn't make sense for him to jump the shark, I think it would be rather out of character of him to do so. With that said, thanks again for sticking around.


	5. Insiders and Outsider

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case anyone’s wondering, the timeline as of the start of the fic is mid-March, nearing the end of the school year and nearing spring break. So months before the game actually begins.  
> Rewritten chapter update 21/07/2020

The rest of the day felt numb. Like clockwork wound to its limit, Mira performed her student role without thought or feeling all the way to Nagatacho station.

The shock and exhaustion that came with that conversation closed off all the noise in her head. All that remained was a single thought that whispered to her like a mantra.

_I have to do this._

_I must do this._

She was now a liability to the operation. The weak link. The very lessons she despised; the training; all of it was all for naught. Failure wasn’t an option. What good is a tool if it couldn’t perform its usefulness?

Her unforgiving brain wouldn’t allow her to relax even in thought.

_‘You failed, again haven’t you? You have grown far too lenient.’_

She cursed inwardly at herself, pushing back a distasteful memory into the backburner of her mind. She kept one earbud on her left ear and hid it with her long hair, her brown eyes now more watchful of her surroundings.

_Remember what you’ve been taught._

There’s still a chance of a turn-around. So far, it’s only Akechi who witnessed them in the middle of their operation. There was a chance he didn’t understand what it was that he saw. The best course of action was to opt out of the mission before the rest were compromised.

_No, that won’t do. He already saw some of their faces._

The only options left were two ideas she wouldn't dare entertain.

The insider looked around to see if the rookie detective was in her vantage in the platform. Upon confirming his lack of presence, she raised her screen to her view and opened the message she received.

_TSUBAKI: Sebastian at Harujuku Bridge. Bring a pro camera as a souvenir to give to your friends. <3_

Mira frowned, knowing what the message implied. She sent a reply;

_MIRA: Sorry. Caught up in with something school related. Is there still time left?_

After a few seconds, Tsubaki answered;

_TSUBAKI: The party’s almost over._

_TSUBAKI: … There’s another chance tomorrow morning. Still up for it?_

_MIRA: I’ll be there._

She pocketed her phone, her senses on high alert with every move she made.

* * *

“I’m home,” she announced and leaned against the doorframe to close the door.

She shut her eyes tightly, wanting to cry out of frustration. Instead, she held it all in, swallowing hard as she tried to compose herself.

It was the first time someone cornered her like that. She thought she was convincing enough to act like any other normal student. But the more that she thought about it, she was reminded of the gravity of her situation.

_Did I make a mistake? What am I going to do? How am I supposed to act in front of him now?_

Mira regretted leaving the room the way she did, realizing her fleeing further fuelled his suspicions.

_‘Koharu. You know what happens when you fail, don’t you?’_

She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, pushing herself off the door and took a deep breath. Navigating herself into the common area, distinct sounds of the news broadcast echoed from the halls.

_“It was horrible. I was standing right there next to him and suddenly he started crossing the road even though the light was still red.”_

_“-I am appalled at the behaviour of some people. Instead of calling for help, they took photos of the incident-”_

Entering the living room, she was met with the sight of a few of her teammates watching the big screen tentatively. Chamomile watched from one of the dining chairs, sitting on it the wrong way.

“Welcome home~” the cheery girl greeted, resting her chin against the backrest.

“I-I’m back,” Mira reciprocated, then eyed the screen.

The news presented another victim to the anomaly fragment they’ve been hunting, this time, it was someone who crossed the main street with the intent of suicide.

“Now that we’re all here, we’d might as well start the meeting,” Tinders declared, switching the screen off. “Reina won’t be joining us for tonight, so it’ll be just the six of us present.”

Mira took a seat next to Chamomile, turning the chair to face their superior.

“Let’s start off with what we’ve gathered so far,” their leader began, crossing her arms. “Thomas, how’s your end of things?”

“Not good,” Thomas craned his neck. “The B IT company doesn’t show signs of any more fragment vessel. After two team leaders went psychotic and one mental shutdown, there’s been talk the company might be facing bankruptcy within the next two months. No sign of an endowed, nor a vessel carrier.”

“Chamomile?”

“Nothing at all~” the golden girl answered lazily. “Nothing interesting to look at around the fast-food chains either. Big Bang Burger’s got an ensue of mental shutdowns, but no sign of any fragment carriers.”

“William, what’s the status with the analysts at THQ?”

William, codename, ‘Arned’, shook his head with a frown. “The same as always. No set patterns as of yet, so we still don’t know who’s been spreading the fragments around.”

“Haa… so we’re hitting a road block thanks to these psychotic breakdowns,” Chamomile whined. “Wonderful. If we’re going to find Dark Matter’s fragments, we’re talking about finding a specific needle in a stack of other needles.”

“That’s one way of putting it,” William leaned back against the sofa. “With these incidents happening all over the city? It’ll be harder to weed out the isolated cases from the fragment vessels.”

“I mean,” Thomas scratched his head. “We could always use Reina as bait like last time-”

“I’m going to pretend you never made that suggestion,” Tinders scoffed at him. “Say that again and I will hound you for it. The last thing we want is for her to go berserk again.”

“Like I said,” the golden girl raised her hand. “Securing Reina should’ve stopped Dark Matter’s influence in the Northern Realms. Why is he still gallivanting around possessing other people who aren’t even endowed?”

“The fragment we found in Shibuya said something that’s been weighing on my mind,” Cobe spoke out. “ _’For as long as he is here, I will flourish’._ There’s something about what he said that felt strange. We all know by now that these fragments thrive within people born with endowments or magic. So far, it seems apparent that the opposite is proven true. I gander there is something about this city that’s been sustaining him. Something big enough, no, powerful enough to anchor him and his fragments to thrive.”

“Yes, Cobe, stating the obvious isn’t exactly helping us here,” Thomas gave a light jab at the albino.

Tinders cleared her throat, bringing everyone’s attention back to her.

“What about you, Mira, has anyone one of your associates have something to contribute?”

“I…” Mira took her phone out of her pocket and scrolled down her list. “There might be, actually.”

“Oh?” Tinders raised her brow. “Let’s hear it.”

“Well… I can’t say that there is or isn’t any leads,” the insider began. “But-”

_Should I tell them now? I should, shouldn’t I?_

A shard of memory told her otherwise.

_‘Hotaru-chan’._

Mira shook her head inwardly. Regardless of whether or not Akechi had figured her or her team out, the insider didn’t wish for anyone to be tied to the same fate as she did.

“…one of them just sent me a message.” Mira said, feeling her pulse quickening its pace. “We’ll be meeting them in Harujuku bridge tomorrow in the morning.”

Tinders hummed in acknowledgement. “Well, any lead is better than nothing at all, so, good work, Mira.”

The insider nodded then hesitantly asked; “I know that we’ve been working together for more than a year, but, what other signs should we be looking for to spot a fragment vessel?”

“Ah right,” William turned around to face Mira. “I guess you’ve never had a proper, close encounter with one of them, yet, Saito.”

“Basically, the signs are usually subtle, depending on the individual,” Thomas interjected. “Weaker carriers are usually more emotionally unstable. They’re the most dangerous ones, since they’d be the first to ‘ _crack’._ Oh, but then again, the more powerful or strong-willed the vessel is, the harder it is to spot. But you can tell when a fragment is around, when the air around you feel cold to a point where it’s hard to breath.”

It was hard to imagine, but she didn’t want to trouble him into elaborating further. Instead, she nodded, feigning her lack of understanding.

“Anyway,” Tinders continued. “Since the best thing we’ve got right now are Mira’s connections, we’ll have to play the waiting game this time around. For now, it’s safe to assume these psychotic incidents might not be corelated with Dark Matter, and I don’t want to waste any more radiance on false alarms.”

The room fell silent as all eyes were focused on the ebony-haired officer.

“Alright,” the officer stood up. “There’s no need for me to reiterate my words any more than this. For now, we’ll proceed things as normal until our next confirmation on our next candidate. I want none of you to slack off between now and then. We cannot afford to fail this operation, since we’re the only ones capable of handling this task. Should we fail, there’s no telling what would happen to this city. That is all. You’re all dismissed.”

The Starcatcher team members then resumed to their own business, with Cobe and Tinders staying behind to watch the news.

Having to sit through that meeting, listening to them speaking out their convictions rekindled Mira’s own resolve.

 _They’re counting on me,_ she thought to herself.

She was still important to the team, someone who has a role to fulfil. Which was exactly why-

_There’s still a chance I can fix this._

The best solution for now was to convince Akechi to look the other way. Or at least deviate his attention away from their operations.

She knew it was a terrible idea, perhaps the stupidest idea to ever consider.

When an insider becomes a liability to the operation, the first thing the SGI would do is have their slate wiped clean of any trace of their presence. In other words, she’ll have to be transferred to a different operative and possibly have her identity changed once again.

But to be acknowledged by her role in her team made this ever more pressing.

If the team is compromised, the fault lies heavily on her. The least she could do was fix the damn problem with her own hands before it spiralled out of control.

* * *

The first thing Goro noticed when homeroom began was how Mira Saito’s absence was overlooked by both teachers and classmates. It was only yesterday since their last exchange and already, the girl had already made herself scarce.

Goro was beginning to suspect he might have already taken the wrong steps with this girl if he were to investigate further into her case. But, as someone who prided himself with his persistence, he wouldn’t give up that easily. Especially if this shady group Saito associates herself with might interfere with his plans.

As soon as the first break came, he made it over to the top of the school’s main stairwell, and let his thoughts piece things together.

Based on his own observations alone, he concluded her current disposition was a persona she crafted herself. Unattached to any friends; much less on acquaintances. The kind of student who doesn’t join any clubs and achieves mediocre grades in a high-end school. A perfect portrait of a ‘background’ character whose presence can easily be forgotten when they’re removed out of the picture.

_I wonder if-_

He opened the metaverse nav app on his phone.

“Mira Saito,” he said aloud.

 _“No candidates found,”_ the app replied.

“Huh,” he scoffed. “I figured this might be the case.”

It would’ve made things easier if she had a palace or a shadow involved, or at the very least, catch the names of all those odd individuals. Based what little dirt he found from Saito’s housemates, their current positions in the country remain unknown.

The detective could always ask for her home address from the teachers and find out for himself. But given his current status between him and his classmate, it was less likely for him to get so much of a response from her.

_I guess some things can’t be helped._

The most he could do at that moment was to look into Saito herself as his main lead.

* * *

Harujuku bridge was never empty in the daytime. Crowds of fashionistas of all sorts of varieties loiter around the walkways, posing before wandering photographers. Mira strode along the area, her camera in hand with a sharp eye out. If there was one of the many privileges an insider could have, it was a web of connections that give leeway to useful information. After sending word to her homeroom teacher that day of her absence due to illness, she stalked the cities to gather the intel she needed.

She realised how cowardly she might have appeared, not showing up after Akechi cornered her. But there were far more pressing matters she needed to attend to, so that matter will have to be put on hold.

Which led her to where she was now. To blend in with the crowd, she made the effort to dress up. Her umber hair braided up, wearing a loose sweater and a blanket scarf to wrap around her neck. Her skirt trailed down to her ankle and wore a pair of worker boots over her grey tights. Within Tokyo’s very own fashion capital, she knew dressing up plainly would make her stand out like a sore thumb beside a few models.

Cosplayers and fashion models posed in different parts of the bridge; clicks of analogue and professional cameras clamour in the air. She wove her way around the pedestrians, navigating all the way towards the centre of the bridge. There, her appointed associate stood there; cosplaying as the iconic butler Sebastian, posing before a small crowd of fangirls.

A few of them, unable to restrain themselves as their phones and cameras clicked away with great enthusiasm.

_He never changes, does he?_

Tsubaki; an indie fashion designer and cosplayer/model by day; informer of the SGI as a side job. Mira’s relationship to the model had always been professional at best; as neither individuals never gave each other their true names.

Having made eye-contact with the insider, the model continued posing before the camera until his photographers were satisfied. Mira set herself a few paces away from him, her back turned as she stared out into the overview of the city.

“Thank you so much,” she overheard one of the photographers said before leaving.

By the time the crowd dissipated, Tsubaki unbuttoned his tailcoat and let it hang on one arm.

“Otsukaresama,” Mira handed him a bottle of water.

“Oh, thank you Ayame-chan,” the cosplayer nodded.

“How are things, Tsubaki-chan?”

“Busy as always,” he said, draining the contents from the bottle. “My comrades were thankful for handling the scammer who duped us last month. I know you said there’s nothing to be done with the lost funds, but handing the man over to the station was more than enough.”

Another passing photographer stopped by, asking for a photo with a dishevelled Sebastian, to which Tsubaki complied with ease. As soon as the photographer left, the model leaned his back to the bridge’s railing next to her.

“Here’s today’s list of possible candidates,” he said, leaning his head back to face the sky as he handed her a folded note. “And a personal request from me.”

Mira eyed the model before she received the note, pocketing it.

“I hear that some of the previous list turned out to be a false alarm,” Tsubaki lazily said.

“Yeah,” she nodded. “It’s better that way. At the same time, everyone’s still on edge. For now, everyone’s ruling out that those ‘ _incidents’_ are unrelated to what we’re looking for.”

“And here I was, about to say that those incidents have nothing to do with it. But it saddens me more though, finding out these people are harming others out of their own volition. The reports speak of fragments that amplify an individual’s warped, negative emotions, right? Even if you remove any influences out of the equation, the virtue of one’s soul is reflected on what they do rather than how they feel.”

A small clamour could be heard from afar, making Mira turn her head to the direction of a small camera crew set. There, she witnessed the back of a foreign model with platinum blonde hair posing before the small camera crew.

“The model prodigy,” Tsubaki head pointed at the model. “The girl’s got the looks to make it big. Tokyo fashion industries have been recruiting an interesting line-up of models this year, but I’ve been seeing that girl around Harujuku a lot these days. I hear she’s the daughter of two big fashion designers who’s made it big internationally.”

“…I wonder if her parents were the ones who decided that career path for her,” Mira murmured.

“Perhaps,” Tsubaki shrugged. “But her aesthetic isn’t really to my liking; I’d rather work with plain-faces like Ayame-chan for my modelling than the flashier kind.”

Mira smiled, remembering the days when she worked with Tsubaki during an undercover mission.

“Once was enough, Tsubaki-chan,” the insider said. “My role ended after that case was closed.”

“But certainly, you must admit you had fun playing the part,” he nudged her a little with his elbow. “Sweet Pallet 4 isn’t the same without you.”

She chortled at his words, knowing it was a role she’d never bring herself to return to.

“Speaking of,” his tone shifted into a graver intonation. “There’s… someone on that list who needs help.”

The insider unfolded the note he gave her, to which the model then put his finger on the name at the top.

_‘Tatsuki Kawaki’_

“A fellow comrade I met through a friend of a friend,” Tsubaki elaborated. “A first year enrolled in Shujin Academy. On the day we were going to dress up as Sweet Pallet Squad 6, in the make-up room he was found covered with bruises. Not even the best of our make-up artist could hide the purple on his face.”

“Then, is he-”

“I saw it, Ayame-chan,” Tsubaki clenched his gloved fists. “He has the symptoms of it.”

Mira closed her eyes, acknowledging the cosplayer’s dismay.

“Ayame-chan, I understand there are limits in what you can and can’t do in cases like these. But if it’s all possible, please save him and find the bastard that did this to him. He had always been a happy idiot who just wanted to make his grandparents proud. Ever since he entered Shujin, he’s lost his confidence in almost everything.”

The gears in her head turned at the request of her acquaintance; “I take it you haven’t identified the perpetrator?”

“The boy wouldn’t say.”

“I see,” she gave a small tap on Tsubaki’s shoulder. “I don’t know the limits of what we can do, but the best advice I can give his have him transfer as soon as possible. He isn’t the first Shujin student we’ve encountered. Chances are, even if we successfully removed the fragment out of him, for as long as he’s a victim to abuse, there’s no telling if those things will come back.”

“He’s on a scholarship, Ayame-chan. He’s an orphan who’s been relying on his part-time work with us and his grandparents’ income.”

She pursed her lips; “…I don’t want to get your hopes up, Tsubaki-chan, but I’ll see what I can do.”

After they parted ways, Mira plugged one ear with her earbud, pulled out her phone and unlocked the SGI’s encrypted app. After she unlocked the app with its face recognition lock, she scrolled down her contacts list.

“This is Gemma to SH12,” she said on the mic of her earbud. “Gemma to SH12.”

 _“This is Pav at Safe House number 12,”_ Thomas answered on the radio. _“Situla is currently on the field.”_

“We might have a strong lead on a confirmed candidate. Inform Situla right away.”

* * *

“Ne, ne, Akechi-kun.”

As soon as class ended, Mira set herself to work, fixing on whatever needed fixing before she could leave.

Across her, one of her classmates called out to him. “When are you able to come to class next time?”

The insider kept her head down, zipped her bag closed and slung the strap over her shoulder.

“I’ll be around for the rest of the school year,” Akechi replied in his usual, princely demeanour. “That is of course, if nothing comes up or the agency won’t call me.”

Taking note on his preoccupied state, she took advantage of it and made her strides towards the classroom’s backdoor. She made sure not to run, knowing it would make her conspicuous. If she were to break her current façade as a faceless student of Higure, there’s no telling who else would take notice of her.

Upon reaching the shoe locker area, a hand clapped on her shoulder.

She jolted at the sudden contact and turned around. Standing before her was Lily Tsukino, one of her classmates.

“Are you Mira Saito?” she asked.

“Y-yes?” Mira murmured.

“Akechi-kun said he wants to talk to you.”

“Um-”

“Alright, message is received, my role is done here,” the tall girl said aloud, shrugging as she headed over to one of the lockers.

_I should just leave-_

“Eh, lucky her,” she overheard another girl say aloud. “I wish Akechi-sama would come around and talk to me.”

“Pfft, y’know you could just walk up and talk to him,” Tsukino scoffed. “He’s only human.”

_Damn you Akechi._

Mira had an aching suspicion he used one of their classmates to make certain she wouldn’t run away. If any fangirl of his realised she had downright ignored the detective prince’s summon, there’ll be hell to pay from either of them… or not.

She sighed inwardly before she walked down the hallway and stopped the minute she stood before the classroom door.

Her pulse quickened.

_Not good._

She took a deep breath and pulled the door handle to slide it open.

There, Akechi sat on his desk, a pen in hand with a notebook wide open. He lifted his head up; “Oh, looks like you didn’t run away this time.”

Mira soured but kept silent as she closed the classroom door behind her.

Her classmate began to pack his things at his own pace, organizing the interior of his suitcase as he did.

“You… what is it that you wanted to discuss?” she asked as coolly as possible.

“If you’re not too busy, why don’t you accompany me for a little while,” he said.

_I don’t have time for this-_

“I have plans, Akechi-san,” the insider crossed her arms. “Please make this quick, I have an errand to run.”

“And does this errand have something to do with the psychotic breakdown incidents?”

She flinched.

“I see,” he smirked. “So, how about it, Saito-san? Would you like to discuss this over with some coffee?”

_I knew I shouldn’t have come._

She rested a hand on her hip, “Akechi-san. Stop this. Just stop- what do you want from me? As far as I’m concerned, we barely set one foot right in this since the other day. Just… tell me what it is you’re after.”

He stood from his seat, carrying his suitcase in hand as strode past her towards the door.

“Coming, Saito-san?” he cocked his head over his shoulder.

Mira’s lips tightened to a thin line. She didn’t like where this was heading, but she had to know his motivations.

Akechi led them up to the rooftop, the vestiges of the winter wind whipping her hair to her face. Her classmate then set his suitcase down beside him and turned around to face her.

“Mira Saito,” he recited. “Occupation: high school student. Part-timer of several miscellaneous jobs. You lived a quiet high school life. No friends or well-acquainted classmates. Not involving yourself in club activities or extra-curricular events that ties in to the school. And yet, despite your low profile, you were one of the luckiest students to enter Higure Academy; one of top twenty schools of this country, but your grades are mediocre at best. Only living relative is Teru Saito, a manager of a share house apartment; the one you are currently living in.”

Her brown eyes narrowed. “What are you getting at?”

“Since the second time we’ve met, I can’t help but notice during our conversations, you seemed so guarded whenever I talk to you. Of all the interrogations and negotiations, I’ve conducted, you’re the first I’ve met whom I never seemed to break through.”

Her worst fears were realized. No, rather, she had been right all along, but she continued to deny the truth of it. Her ears burned as she felt her pulse throbbing to her temples.

_Not good._

She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. In the depths of her suppressed memories, she dug out the role of a character she hadn’t acted for seven years.

Her eyes flew open, her posture straightened as she locked away any emotion from her system.

“And is this an interrogation?”

He didn’t say a word and waited for her response.

“I don’t know what you’re suspecting of me, But I can assure you, I’ve never done anything wrong.”

_I should have acted like this. Since the start I should have played this part._

Mira cursed herself inwardly.

“Oh, I know,” he shrugged. “There’s no doubt in my mind your record is clean. On the surface at least. However, I have to question some of the tenants whom you boarded with.”

“I told you before. They’re just internationals here on a temporary visa. What you’ve shown me doesn’t prove anything.”

He then pulled out his phone and raised the volume;

_“-This is Sirius to Situla, we’ve extracted the shadow fragment.”_

Her ears pricked at the sound of Reina Orion’s voice.

_“It’s too soon to tell if these psychotic breakdowns might be caused by Dark Matter-”_

Akechi stopped his recording. _“‘Situla’. ‘Shadow’. ‘Fragment.’_ ” He eyed her dubiously. “Do these words ring any bells?”

“No,” she lied, holding back the quiver of her voice. “What does any of this have to do with me?”

“I find it odd, Saito-san,” he leaned his weight on his left leg. “That on our first meeting, one of your contacts had ‘Situla’ written in romaji as their contact name. Then, as I was doing my rounds, I hear _this._ ” -he gestured to the phone in hand- “Odd coincidence, isn’t it? And before you can deny any claims, I’ll have you know it was a video I took, not just a mere voice recording.”

Mira said nothing.

“Then, there’s you, Saito-san. I did find it particularly odd when I showed you those photos. Under normal circumstances, anyone would be shocked to see something like that. And even now, it’s strange to see how calm you are in taking this all in. At first, I suspected you might've been tangled up in some bad company. But I must say, I never thought of you as someone who’d corroborate into such questionable activities.”

“Where’s your proof?”

He flipped his phone to show her a photo of her in her SGI uniform.

“You were following me?” she narrowed her eyes.

“Observing you,” he corrected.

“That’s a breach of privacy. And that photo doesn’t prove anything. Not everyone wandering around at night are criminals or suspects.”

“True. But I find it rather interesting to see what strange activities your housemates seemed to be engaging with every night.”

He then flipped his phone and swiped it a few times before he turned it back to her view.

On the screen played a video, showing her Reina accompanied with Cobe, wandering within a narrow street she recognised and turned a corner into an isolated alleyway. The raven girl’s hands then emitted a cold-blue light as her two teammates’ voices were inaudible from the huddled murmurs in the background.

“There are other recordings within my possession,” Akechi said as soon as the video ended. “So, Saito-san, care to explain what this is?”

The agent tore her gaze from the screen to her classmate.

“Nothing, huh,” a shadow loomed over his eyes, his smile now seemed crueller. “At this point it’s easy to suspect you have information. Information regarding the recent accidents tied to the series of mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns. Or is it just a coincidence, to know that you and your friends happen to roam around the areas where these incidents took place?”

She turned her head away, tucking her hands into her skirt pockets.

_Breathe._

Mira’s shoulders heaved for breath and released it slowly.

_Don’t let it get to you._

Now that she knew she set one foot into this grave, the least she could do was endure. She had always been good at that, enduring. Compared to the times she had been close to death; compared to the operations she took part of-

_This is nothing._

The least she could do, was to push him away.

“Are you done?” she said coldly.

“I’m not even close.”

The insider scoffed, then chortled, “You- You don’t know who you’re dealing with here. People like you should be going about your day, minding your own damn business. Normal people like you, should stay within your own little world, concerning yourselves with your happy-go-lucky lives. Parading around in front of a camera than standing here and poking your nose on my affairs. Now if you excuse me, I’m already late for my errand and-”

“And if I say, who’s stopping me, what will you do?”

“Then you’re an idiot,” she said dryly. “If I were you, Akechi-san, I wouldn’t be so foolish enough to come onto my world. The minute you do… No, I’ve already said too much.”

Just as she turned her back to him to leave, he clapped a hand over her shoulder, putting her to a halt.

“What now?”

“Just one, final question,” he said.

Mira turned around to face him. With his phone on his hand, he turned his phone to her one last time. On his screen was a red screen with an icon of a star-iris eye on it.

“Do you recognise this app, by any chance?”

_What does this have to do with me?_

The insider frowned sourly. “I’ve never seen that app before. Now if you excuse me.”

And with that, she stormed her way down the steps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was not properly edited. Let me know if something's wrong with it.  
> EDIT: So I've moved their first confrontation at the end of this chapter, knowing it'll make a whole lot more sense... I mean, I don't know how much you guys will like this new arrangement, so let me know if the flow of the story makes more sense with this.


	6. A Fragment's True Nature

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter edited at 26/07/2020

“You’ve been awfully jittery lately.”

Mira flinched at Vega’s words.

“Do I?” her gaze fell to her hands, noting on the small tremors. “I… I guess so.”

“Something is troubling you,” the albino pointed out. “I could feel a strange sense of trepidation; almost as if… you’re-”

“I mean,” she interjected. “I-I know this isn’t the first time I’ve breached into another campus before. But I guess it’s because this is the first time… a candidate happens to be a- friend of a friend.”

“…I suppose that’s enough to make one’s heart all jittery,” the albino said thoughtfully.

“Yeah, I guess.”

It was almost impossible to feign an act to an empath like Cobe/Vega, who’s able to feel other people’s emotions. From what she could remember from his personal profile, the albino was a ‘Pilgrim’; an occupation that equated to a wandering monk in the Mystic Isles. It wasn’t hard to forget, especially since it never failed to mention him specialising in conversing with lost souls.

Mira made an effort to change her entire appearance; discarding the beige and black Higure uniform in favour of Shujin Academy’s red gym clothes. She pinned her hair up, applying make-up on her face to add it into full effect, making her unrecognisable to her Higure student persona.

Her phone buzzed, to which the insider quickly opened her screen.

_Tsubaki: A little something for reference. Don’t forget to throw the trash._

A photo was sent over, showcasing a black-haired Shujin student with hazel eyes. His was leaner, and might, Mira say, has a subtle beauty in his features; the sort one wouldn’t see at first glance.

_No wonder Tsubaki-chan chose him._

She memorised the candidate’s face in her head before she uploaded a copy into the encrypted files of her software. She deleted the photo soon after and resumed to her task.

It took a few days’ worth of narrowing down the candidates Tsubaki had given her, keeping her team busy in their respective positions. After confirming that there were at least two so far who were affected by the anomaly, Mira set out to Shujin Academy to confirm the possible third candidate.

She eyed the albino accompanying her; whose white hair was dyed black and cut short to make him fit among the other high schoolers. A part of her mused her, knowing how deceptively young Gildaarians appeared to be.

“…Sorry,” she said quietly. “I know that there was no need to go that far with your hair to accompany me.”

“No need to apologise,” he said, “A little sacrifice is worth its trouble, especially if its for a good cause. I had a strange premonition you might benefit it more if I join you on this task.”

“Premonition?”

“A feeling you’ll get used to once you take your oath as a Pilgrim,” he explained, then brandishing a jaggedly-cut crystal that hung around his neck. “Pilgrims use clear orange stones like these as the core source of their abilities. Spirit stones, some would refer them as. In times of trouble, these stones warn us of dangers one cannot handle alone. Once you’ve mastered their use, it’s easy to become attuned to its effects.”

Mira did her best to keep up with his explanations, but found that Vega was the sort who likes to talk in long, drawn-out conversations.

“-In short,” he concluded. “These stones sometimes give you an extended ability to sense forewarnings of dangers ahead. And my premonitions tell me you’ll be needing assistance.”

“-Oh.”

_…What a roundabout way of explaining things._

Mira didn’t wish to offend him and kept those thoughts to herself.

“Apologies if my words bored you,” he said plainly.

“Ah, no, it’s alright.”

* * *

Upon their arrival at Shujin Academy, Mira lifted her head up at the towering campus building. From its architectural design, to its cement and wire gates; it bore a strange semblance to a prison house if anything. Even its name _‘Shujin’*_ seemed fitting for its grey setting.

“Shujin Academy, huh,” she murmured.

“…Something feels wrong about this school,” said the empath. “Something strange and pungent is suffocating the atmosphere.”

Having heard this phrase from him so many times, she could’ve sworn she’d be able to quote his words by now.

“How bad is it?”

“It’s difficult to describe,” he said solemnly. “But it’s almost as if… There are other fragments that dwell within it.”

“Wait… you mean…”

Vega raised his head up to the school building.

Narrowing her eyes, she led her teammate into a vending machine corner.

“This is Gemma,” she said to her radio. “We’re on campus. Vega tells me It’s possible there are more fragment vessels in this venue.”

The insider heard Situla swear on her receiver. _“How. Much.”_

“It’s hard to discern,” Vega answered his radio. “The school’s engulfed in a wall of negative feedback. It’s similar…. Too similar to our first mission to secure Reina out of that institute.”

 _“Code names, Vega,”_ their superior sounded harsher than before. _“It’s too soon to jump to conclusions. The best you could do for now is stick to the plan. Gemma, while you’re on site, scour around for some intel. Vega, don’t go off-tangent and stray too far from Gemma.”_

“Roger,” they answered.

They put themselves up for the task, entering Shujin’s campus. Having memorised the school grounds in her mind, she made a path for them to enter and made their strides through the school’s halls.

“-didn’t think Sakamoto would do stuff like that-”

“-he bleached his hair. What else is there to expect from him-”

“-track team is super screwed.”

“-shida’s not available. He’s busy with the volleyball team.”

“Are all schools always this negative?” Vega quietly asked.

Mira didn’t reply, keeping a sharp ear at the student body’s loose tongues for gossip.

_If I recall, this Tatsuki Kawaki is part of the volleyball team-_

She eyed a girl standing around the corner of the hallway, her hear fall neatly down her back with a pair of square framed glasses perched on her nose.

_Member of the Newspaper club._

The insider noted the number ‘1’ on the girl’s blazer.

“Excuse me,” Mira pulled up a smile. “Do you know a student named Tatsuki Kawaki?”

* * *

Having gone down to the gym, Mira was surprised to find the gym doors closed and locked up from the inside.

_…What is there to hide?_

From the other side of the door, squeaks of rubber soles on waxed floors echoed, slams of a heavy ball bouncing off the walls. Surprisingly, she could barely hear a single student from the other side; only shouts of an adult male demanding to try harder.

_So that’s Kamoshida, I take it._

Vega’s hand clutched his chest; his breathing shallow as his shoulders heaved up and down.

“Vega?”

“What… is this…?” he rasped.

The insider narrowed her eyes, realising the empath mirrored the strong emotions for the other side of those doors.

“How could a person… feel so accomplished… through the pain of others?”

His cryptic words aside, Mira scanned her surroundings to see if there were other students wandering around nearby.

“Let’s go,” she said.

Her colleague quickly nodded, following her trail as she made her way around the back entrance of the gym. Whipping up a set of lock-picks, she hooked two pieces through the keyhole. Within a few seconds she unlocked the gym’s storage room.

Inside were towers of stacked chairs pushed to the back corner of the room; a large trolly basket of balls sat at the centre. A few other miscellaneous gym equipment lay there, a few of them caked with thick layers of dust.

The two agents entered the room and headed over to the door that connects them to the gym.

“Can you sense fragments without looking at them?” she asked.

“It depends…” Vega huffed.

“Are you… doing alright?”

“Fear…” the empath muttered. “Pain… The fear of being rejected… and ostracized…”

Mira bit her lip. She hadn’t seen him this affected by someone else’s emotions to this extent before.

“Maybe it would better if-”

“No-no,” he shook his head quickly. “I can handle this. I’ve felt something far worse than this…”

With a few drawn out breaths Vega slowly composed himself and straightened his posture.

“Forgive me, for scaring you. I didn’t expect to feel a sudden surge of those sensations… But… It’s just as we feared. Someone from the other side… is a fragment vessel.”

She grimly nodded, acknowledging the gravity of his words.

“This is Gemma,” she said announced on her radio. “We’ve opened up the storage room. Vega… confirmed there’s a fragment vessel here.”

_“…What’s the damage?”_

“The fragment,” Vegan chimed in on his radio. “We need to remove it as soon as possible.”

_“*sigh*. Alright. I trust your judgement on this one, Vega.”_

Seeing how club activities were still in session, it would be a terrible idea to show themselves. Their only choice was to wait until their break time. She looked towards Vega and handed him a keychain.

“I’ll be outside on the lookout,” she said. “If things go wrong, press this-” -she pointed at the bottom of the keychain- “And I’ll make an exit route.”

Mira left the storage room and closed it behind her. She sharpened her senses as she sat down, plugged her ears with her earbuds and pulled out her phone; imitating a disinterested student in isolation.

A stray thought came to mind, recalling her exchange with her fellow insider.

“Hey,” she said on her radio. “I know this isn’t really the right time to ask this, but one of my associates have a personal request.”

No one on the radio replied.

“This involves the current candidate… An associate… no. A friend of mine was the one who tipped us on our current target. And he- wants to save him from any further abuse from this school… So, is there a way… to remove Tatsuki Kawaki from school and have him transferred into a better one?”

 _“Well, well,”_ she could hear Pav/Thomas’s smirk through the radio. _“That’s the first time you’ve ever asked for anything.”_

“If it’s too much trouble, you could forget about-”

 _“The higher-ups don’t usually favour the method of pulling too many strings,”_ Situla said plainly. _“Currying favours isn’t our way, not unless the request is inconsequential enough to be overlooked… And you say this was a personal request from a friend of yours?”_

“Uh-huh,” Mira nodded. “He just wants to see his friend happy.”

 _“Why not?”_ Chamomile/Sunshine said in her usual cheer. _“I mean, it’s just a school transfer, right? If there’s no legal stuff tied to it, I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.”_

 _“You say it like the matter’s just small potatoes,”_ Pav sardonically said.

 _“No, not really,”_ Situla said, surprising everyone. _“A simple school transfer isn’t a problem. The real problem you ought to look out for are the parents, teachers and the student in question. We can even chip a few payments for his school tuition fee for a year, if he’s having financial trouble.”_

“Th-That’s-”

 _“But we’re getting ahead of ourselves,”_ her superior quickly added. _“Focus on the task at hand for now. We can settle with the other request later.”_

“Huh. ‘Never thought I’d be seein’ anyone hangin’ ‘round here.”

Mira snapped her head up. A few paces away stood a blond-haired student, eyeing his surroundings. He wore a yellow loud shirt beneath his uniform blazer, his suspenders dangling from the waist of his pants.

 _Act natural,_ she commanded herself.

“Oh,” the agent said politely. “Is this area off-limits?”

“Nah, not really,” the blonde student scratched his head. “Just surprised someone else found this area.”

“Judging by his slouched posture, she assumed he might’ve been one of those deviants who didn’t care much about rules.

 _“Talk him out of it,”_ said Situla. _“Unless there’s another way out of that gym, you’re going to have to get him off site as soon as possible.”_

“Too bad,” she said with a calculative shrug. “This spot’s mine. You can’t have it.”

“Wha-!” he took a step back. “I never said anything ‘bout you leaving!”

“This place is my sanctuary. And quite frankly, you’re invading it,” Mira said haughtily.

The blonde student raised his hands in defeat. “Alright, alright? I’ll leave. Geez!”

As soon as the boy left, she heard Pave laughing in her ear.

 _“That was some 180 change of character,”_ he said boisterously. _“Remind me to never mess with an insider like you on the next mission.”_

 _“Oh please,”_ she could almost imagine Sunshine’s eye roll as she spoke. _“As if you’re not at all when you play the part.”_

 _“Will you two shut your mouths and focus?”_ Situla reprimanded.

 _“Club members are opening the store room,”_ Vega announced in a low voice.

The entire team fell silent on the radio waves.

Soon enough, the agent heard feet shuffling from the other side of the door. Followed by equipment crashing into the floor and dribbled thuds of objects bouncing against hard surfaces.

 _“The hell do you think you’re doing, Kawaki?!”_ she heard one of them from the other side. _“Do you think Kamoshida would let that attitude slide? Do you want our club disbanded too?”_

_“T-that’s not-!”_

_“If you wanna go ahead and take that attitude to Kamoshida, go ahead. But you’re not our team captain anymore.”_

A loud crash shook the walls, feeling the door shudder at the impact. After a few scuffling of shoes, a deathly silence followed.

 _“Dammit,”_ she heard someone whimper, as she heard fists pounding on the wooden floor. _“I’m gonna kills that bastard-”_

Her phone flashed Vega’s signal. Knowing what it entailed, she hurriedly stood up. Upon opening the backdoor, a cold, stale air wafter towards her. The air inside was thin and an ominous heaviness began to weigh on her back.

“W-what is this-?” she gasped.

Before her, a shujin student stood like a slacking puppet; eyes glassy and unfocused; his bruised face contorted with indiscriminate rage. Her muscles stiffened; her whole body shook at the sight.

Contrary to the photograph sent to her, his haggardly appearance was a far cry from what she saw.

“Ta-Tatsuki… Kawaki…?”

“Are you judging me too?” Kawaki growled. “So what if I have no parents? That doesn’t mean I’m not qualified to be a decent human being! I never did anything wrong!”

She had a hard time comprehending his words; but one this was certain; he was losing sight of himself.

“-I didn’t do anything wrong! The hell am I supposed to know how to shoot, if all you do is smash the ball to my face!”

The student staggered, dragging his foot with each step forward.

“-you think this iS FunNy? sO yoU ThiNK I aM sOmE PaNSy foR bEIng fRIendS with ThoSE DraAGs-!”

Kawaki lunged at her, hand clawed around her neck. The shock took her seconds to realise what was happening as she gagged at her thinning airways.

“MIRA!”

Vega jumped in, grappling at the nape of the boy’s jacket to pull him away. In the fit of her struggle, instincts kicked in as she kneed the student by the gut, knocking the wind out of him. Fingers loosened their hold on her; Mira gasped for breath before Vega effectively pulls him back to have the Shujin student crash into the pile of mats.

Despite the severity of the impact, the boy’s face contorted into a carnal beast, laughing pitifully as he did.

“Are you alright?!” her teammate asked her.

“Yeah,” she wheezed.

“DoN’T igNORe mE!”

The Shujin student sloppily picked himself up; hand slowly creeping to a stray ball that rolled next to him.

Vegan stepped forward and with an outstretched hand he commanded; “HALT.”

Light encompassed Kawaki, forming a cage of light as the student ceased all movement apart from his steady breathing.

“Bind,” the pilgrim declared, and the cage of light coiled into binding threads of light.

Bearing witness to this, Mira shuddered, but couldn’t tear her eyes away from the sight. Vega then crouched before Kawaki, taking a few deep breaths before he hovered his hand over the student’s head.

“You who are not of this world,” Vega commanded. “Come out of him, shadow.”

The empath’s fingers glowed a dim light, fingers then curled to a fist before he pulled it back from Kawaki. Soon enough, just like many times before, the same monstrous haze came out of the student; its mass now denser than her previous encounters. Kawaki’s breath made a long exhale, as the glowing threads dispersed into the air.

“yOu think A mEre pilgRim coULd sToP me?” the haze’s voice rattled in the air.

“You’ve lost, shadow,” Vega declared. “How many more souls will you feed till you’re satisfied?”

 _Feed?_ Mira stared at her colleague.

“ThIS lANd is nOt as pOwerLeSs aS yoU tHink,” it retorted. “SoON tHat gIrL will nO longer be Of UsE to mE.”

Vega’s purple eyes narrowed, baring his teeth.

“If _she_ is no use to you,” the albino said darkly. “Then release her from her suffering.”

The apparition laughed as its form melded into thin air. Vega fell on his knees, apparently exhausted from the encounter. Mira held her stance despite every muscle in her shuddering to collapse.

_“Guys, what’s the status?”_

“It’s done…” Vega panted. “Did you- get all of that *huff* in recording?”

 _“Just the audio, unfortunately,”_ Sunshine’s usual cheer dimmed. _“What about the kid?”_

Mira looked to Kawaki. His body lay slack on the side; unconscious. She headed over to the student and checked his pulse and breathing.

“Everything’s normal,” she rasped, before she looked to the empath. “How’re you holding up?”

“Give me a moment,” he said before he shakily stood up. “…We can leave this boy here.”

The insider agreed, “Help me out. We’ll need to carry him to the nurse’s office.”

The two agents struggled their way, lugging the unconscious student over to the nurse’s office; effectively earning a few horrified stares from passing Shujin students along the hallway. Upon reaching the room, Mira had to make up a tangible excuse for the nurse to believe in right before they had Kawaki settled into the bed. As she continued discussing with the nurse, the albino sat on a chair beside the unconscious student in a reverent silence.

As soon as the nurse left the room to head over to the student records, Mira took a chair to sit next to Vega.

“The nurse will be back in half an hour-”

“Something’s definitely amiss,” he said solemnly, his amethyst eyes pointing at the sleeping student. “These fragments should not have been this powerful even after possessing unendowed folk. Even more so if their hosts are Northerners.”

As much as she wanted to probe him for answers, it wasn’t the ideal place to discuss such topics within this area.

“We have to go,” she said, standing up.

Her colleague complied, but not before he took out something out of his pocket and tucked the item into Kawaki’s jacket.

* * *

Neither of them spoke as they walked; the air felt pungent and heavy after what she had just witnessed. This was the first time she’s ever seen a fragment carrier act so… rabid.

The first time she volunteered to part-take on this mission, she read the reports available to her. She studied it; made notes and tried to understand how and why these fragments were dangerous. But the danger never sank in; it was intangible for her to perceive the weight of it. All that she knew was that one day, all SGI personnel received a code red notice involving an entity that cause its victims to go rampant.

But to see its effects in full force immediately terrified her.

“I don’t know what you’re thinking,” Cobe’s voice cut through her line of thought. “But I could sense your apprehension. Tell me what you’re thinking.”

“I…” she bit her lip.

Did she want to know?

She didn’t want to know.

A part of her had always feared of truths she had always been forced to confront, knowing that once she knew, the world would never be the same.

_Might as well hear it now._

“Cobe-san. What are these fragments? I know that these things merely agitate a person’s emotions until they could no longer control themselves, but… Why? What are they?”

The empath said nothing as they continued their strides. As they came across an empty bus station bench, Cobe gestured to have them sit down.

“The answer to your question will take a while to answer,” he finally said. “Are you alright with that?”

She nodded.

Having settled down on the bench, Cobe began contemplatively;

“Where I do begin? These fragments- anomalies, or whatever it is they call it are all pieces of a lost soul. To us, we refer this creature as ‘Dark Matter’, but the truth is, no one knows its true name. Dark Matter is an anomaly that roams around countless worlds, seeking for a powerful vessel for it to control. A parasite that split itself into pieces and dwell within bodies that it deems powerful enough for him to reside in.”

She felt a cold sweat roll down her back. The albino gave her a concerning look, but pursued into elaborating further.

“Its methods of possession are quite simple: by inserting a piece of him into a soul, it temporarily grants its host a dose of strength or power one wouldn’t normally possess. But over time, the fragment will stir the emotions of its vessel, enabling the fragment to feed on the host’s soul. At the tipping point, the soul is weakened, thus, enabling Dark Matter to hold the body’s reigns without any resistance. But just as a bucket cannot contain an entire ocean; there is so much a tiny vessel could hold. The density of the anomaly’s power inevitably breaks apart the body and soul; leaving the creature to seek for a stronger host.”

He grimaced at his last sentence, as though he recalled a bitter memory.

“In the past,” he added. “Dark Matter targeted endowed individuals with phenomenal abilities. But after today, I fear it may have found a way to retain its existence within powerless vessels while keeping their bodies intact.”

“Then what you said about the school-”

Cobe nodded. “It’s possible this school- no, this city has an anchor, or a garden bed dwelling within it that might have cultivated these fragments. The best we could do for now is uproot these fragments before…”

“Before?”

Cobe shook his head as he stood up, prompting her to follow.

I just hope things won’t escalate any further than this.”


	7. Playing with Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Matters of inconsistencies with canon persona 5 is due to my own incompetence on not revising a few details.  
> Re-written chapter posted at 2/08/2020

Sakura flowers were in full bloom. Contrary to the clear day, Mira’s heart was gripped with uncertainty. Cheers and euphoric laughter could be heard from the second year-level building, as she watched third-year graduates at the school entrance bidding their farewells.

It was the last day of the school year, thusly, the classroom was empty. Her mind was devoid of any thoughts, not wanting to think, not wanting to feel. While spending her last week of school catching up on third-year preparations, she found herself seeing school as a distraction; a sanctuary devoid of the world’s bigger problems.

Akechi’s suspicions aside, Mira finally admitted to her longing for normalcy. Friends weren’t necessarily at the top of her wish list, but she found comfort watching others go about their day idly without a care in the world.

She didn’t ask for much, nor was she the sort who’d ruminate over the desires that lay dormant in her heart. There was no need to worry about future careers or housing; her life was set in stone to become a tool for someone else to use. It was the only ‘real’ thing she knew, and deviating away from that reality was something she couldn’t see herself in.

After witnessing the effects of the fragments they’ve been hunting, the world around her felt like an illusion. A dream she didn’t wish to wake out of. What was worse was the sinking feeling she might never see the end of this mission, or that this threat will continue to persist without end. Unconsciously, her fingers reached for her scarf-covered neck that was littered with bruises from Kawaki’s fingers.

Leaning against the window, she gave out an exasperated sigh; staring out into the scenery below.

“It’s unusual to see you so unguarded like this.”

She didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

“It’s the end of the school year,” she said. “It wouldn’t hurt to have my own little celebration alone in this classroom.”

Akechi’s footsteps drew closer until he joined her side.

“And here I thought I wouldn’t see you here today,” he scoffed. “After a full week of absence, I suspected you’d be cowering in a room somewhere by now.”

“Sorry for not meeting your expectations,” she sardonically said. “I was home with the flu.”

“Or so you say. You never came around to explaining yourself during out last exchange.”

“My business is mine to keep Akechi-san. And so will yours too.”

“What do you know of my business, Saito-san?” he challenged.

Mira made a side-glance at her classmate before she turned her gaze to the scenery.

“You’re the son of Masayoshi Shido,” she said quietly.

In her peripheral view, Akechi seemed taken aback. She never wanted to do this. She hated the idea of utilising anything SGI related into her school life. Not when she saw this place as her temporary sanctuary.

“Your mother… died a few years before you entered middle school,” she continued. “You were passed onto different households before you moved into a separate apartment. It was only until last year did you gain the skills necessary to become our nation’s very own second detective prince. You answer to Sae Nijima, a public prosecutor who works at the SIU. There are other instances as well, when you’d visit your father’s office. I suspect, based on my findings, your rise to the ranks might have to do with the possible intent of incriminating your father since… the conception of your birth was out of an illegal affair with a sex worker.”

“How do you know all of this?” he asked incredulously.

“My sources have no bounds,” she dead-panned. “With the right connections; with the right price; you could obtain a wellspring’s worth of information. All you have to do is ask the right people and they will give it to you.”

She turned her head to see a shadow casted over his eyes, his composed disposition contorted into a silent fury. The insider half-expected him to lash out, attack her or throw her insults. Instead, he gave out a mirthless laugh.

“So then,” he sneered a grin when the laughter died out. “What do you intend to do with this ‘wellspring’ of information?”

“I want to make a deal with you. Stop sticking your nose on our backs, then we can forget all of this ever happened.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” he said smugly. “Now that I can confirm you and your friends have ties to classified information; who’s to say I can’t have you convicted for the possible illegal methods used to obtain it?”

“You and I both know taking this to court will throw a wrench on your public image,” she retorted. “The extent of what I’ve shown you is just the tip of the iceberg. Dig too deep, and there’s no guarantee where you’ll end up.”

“Is that a threat?”

She gravely shook her head. “No. This is _my_ warning to you, Goro Akechi. You take one step into my world, and there’s no going back. Depending on how much you know about us, I cannot guarantee what they’ll do once you get yourself involved.”

He blinked in surprise, taken aback by her statement.

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t have the authority to protect you once they know you’re onto us. It would put my mind at ease if you remain ignorant of this matter rather than have you involved with our affairs. If worse comes to worst, they’ll get you involved. And when they do, you’ll be faced with crippling cases than the ones you’re used to.”

* * *

Goro couldn’t comprehend what this girl was saying.

_‘Protecting’ me?_

On one hand, she finally showed him one piece of her deck; detailed information that not even Shido could have access to. Based on her mannerism and her words, it gave him the impression this girl might have been subjugated to doing things against her own will. Yet, it was difficult to discern whether or not that might have been the case.

Just as the detective opened his mouth to speak, he caught a glimpse of purple marks hiding beneath her scarf.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

He took a step forward, pinching the fabric with his index and thumb. Saito jerked at the close proximity between them and swatted his hand away; effectively dragging the long fabric away from her neck.

His classmate’s neck had strips of cold patches around her neck. Yet, despite her effort in covering some of her bruises, splotches of purple marked her pale neck where the patches couldn’t reach.

Goro clenched the scarf in his hand, frowning at her grimly as she turned her head away. He didn’t fail to notice her pursed lips and wavering eyes that refused to look his way.

“Is this what they did to you?”

Saito shook her head.

“This is what happens if you step into my world, Akechi-san.”

By her intonation alone, she made it sound like her life was hanging by a thread. All the more reason for him to be concerned at what he might be dealing with here.

“Just what sort of world are you involved in to leave you with those marks?” he asked.

She craned her neck to face him and made a frustrated huff.

“People like you should stay as far away from me as much as possible,” she then grabbed her scarf from his hand and began wrapping it around her neck loosely. “I don’t like repeating my words. Normal people should go about their normal lives. That’s all there is to it.”

“Did you forget, Saito-san, that you’re talking to a rookie detective with a track record of closed cases?” his hands clenched. “You should know by now, especially after you found a way to dig into my background, that I’ve gone passed that point of being an ordinary high school student. Judging by the looks of things, a mere student like you shouldn’t be engaging in matters that lead to violent ends-”

“Do not lecture me in the choices I make,” she angrily said. “What I do is important and sometimes- small sacrifices have to be made. I don’t want you to be one of them.”

It puzzled him.

At the same time, her words confirmed his suspicions of how the dangerous risk he was about to take.

“I don’t understand you,” he said. “Protecting me? Even after I cornered you, suspected you, you would say such naïve lines? If anything, _you,_ Saito-san, looked like someone who needs that now more than me.”

Saito made a sour look, an apparent habit that only comes whenever she found something distasteful in him. “Don’t be so certain about your judgement, Akechi-san. You don’t even realise the position you’re currently in. I’ve told you before, if you pursue us any further than this, your current position is finished. One word out of you and they could end your career with one slip of a scandal. If they’re merciful, they’ll drag you in. These people are capable of doing these things.”

“In other words, this group you’re affiliating with are tied to a syndicate of sorts.” -He then held his chin in thought, just as an idea came to mind- “Tell me, Saito-san. Just how far have you dug into my personal history?”

She eyed him suspiciously.

“Don’t give me that look,” he laughed. “I’m merely curious to know the extent of what you’re capable of.”

Begrudgingly, Saito recounted the details of her findings. Which middle school he attended. The city district he moved in. She listed the places he frequents in his spare time. At the mere mention of his mother’s suicide, he didn’t miss the cautioned intonation of her voice as she spoke of it.

No mention of him as Shido’s hitman, or him being able to access the cognitive world.

“I’m impressed,” he lauded. “With that level of information, you could have easily proven the many backdoor deals this country has to offer. Well done.”

“What are you getting at?”

Goro walked over to one of the empty desks and sat on it.

On one hand, he was relieved to know this girl had nothing to do with the cognitive world. On the other hand, it was only a matter of time before she, or whoever she was working for would eventually stumble across what he had been doing for the past two years. But upon recounting the details she showed him might work well in his favour.

“Why not take me to your leader?” he gave her a wide grin. “I’m curious to see just how dangerous this group of yours as you claimed it to be.”

Saito gaped at him before her face contorted to a livid expression.

“I’m done with this,” she said in disgust, turned her heel to leave before he stretched his arm in front of her.

“Ah-ah,” he shook his head, retaining his smile before her. “Running away again?”

“I think you misunderstood. I’d might as well be talking to a tree.”

He chuckled at her words, “I’ve always been told I’m stubborn in getting what I need.”

“You don’t realize the gravity of the situation, do you,” she glared at him.

“From what I understand, you’ve withheld information from your leader about my suspicions of you and your friends,” he pointed. “You’d rather that I be spared from their wrath and try to deviate me away from your lot. Saito-san, you and I both know that isn’t going to work. Unless, of course, you will have to tell it to me yourself, especially if what you’re telling me involves a lot of _dangerous_ work.”

His classmate kept silent; her brown eyes shifted away from his direction.

“Don’t say- I didn’t warn you,” she said quietly before she raised her head up to meet his gaze. “Even if they spared you, there are certain truths in this world that are kept hidden for a good reason.”

“Then-”

“Good luck finding out what you seek, Akechi-san. I pray you won’t meet an unfortunate demise.”

She grabbed his arm and shoved it away, making her strides towards the door until he called out;

“What about a game, Saito-san?”

She cocked her head over shoulder.

“The rules are simple,” he began. “Find out all there is to know about the truth behind the psychotic breakdowns. Information with backed-up evidence.”

“Why should I do that?” 

“From what you clearly demonstrated to me, I think what you provide is worth exploiting, isn’t it?”

“Intel doesn’t work like withdrawing money from the bank, Akechi-san.”

“No, but given our current positions, I think its egregious for either of us to walk away feigning ignorance of each other’s capabilities.”

She turned around to face him, arms crossed with a soured expression.

“And what about you? What exactly are you trying to accomplish using me?”

“I’ll tell you once you show me everything there is to hide from me,” he answered smugly. “I, on the other hand will continue investigating you and you’re associates. But. I won’t be so cruel as to tell on a few higher-ups about you and your lot’s ‘nightly’ activities. That is, of course, you keep your silence about my own personal history.”

“You’re playing with fire, Akechi-san. Don’t make light over the current situation.”

“Even though I say this is a game, you realize this is an inevitable outcome, don’t you?” -he took a few steps closer to her- “Mira Saito, the minute you showed me one card of your deck, you ought to have known this was going to happen. If you really did want to get rid of me, you should have reported me to your leader the minute I grew suspicious. And yet, you did not. That, to me, is more puzzling.”

“And what if I say I care about what might happen to you, would that be more or less convincing enough?”

He smiled, “And for that, I’m grateful for the sentiment. I’m rather touched that you’d worry over someone like me. However, if it were someone far less kind than me, your soft sentiments will get you killed.”

Saito scoffed at him.

“Don’t take it too personally,” he added. “I’m merely returning you a favour by keeping my silence on my end. But the minute I find this group of yours obstructs the very foundations of our nation’s judicial system; I will do what is necessary.”

“I doubt you’d find us worthy of a judge and jury,” she muttered.

“I’ll be the judge of that when all the stones are left unturned. So, how about it? Do we have a deal?”

He offered up his hand before her.

“These people,” she shook her head. “We are not bought, bargained and toyed with. Don’t treat this like it’s a another one of your cases.”

“I’m not.”

“Then-”

“I’m merely placing my stakes before you, to put this on an equal playing field. If you are able to find out the truth behind the psychotic breakdowns, you’ll win this game, no questions asked.”

She squinted, “What’s it to you with those incidents? Isn’t that your job to crack that case?”

He smirked, “Play your part, then maybe, you’ll find out.”

**March 29 20XX**

_“-On today’s top stories: Hayate Kando, president of B company who was reported missing for two weeks was found dead in the port of Tokyo this morning. Police have released details of their investigation to report the cause of death was via suicide-”_

_“-driver drove into a café shop at Harujuku. Apart from a crossing pedestrian and the driver, three other pedestrians caught in the accident sustained no severe injuries-”_

_“-It’s only been nearly a month now since the accident on Shibuya crossing and still, no one here is competent to address the problem here. If we keep hanging our heads low towards these accidents without understanding why they keep happening, it’s only a matter of time before-”_

_“-Mental shutdowns can’t possibly be caused by overworked employees. A nervous breakdown, perhaps, suicide, understandable; but these incidents rarely apply to officer workers, they also-”_

_“-sakura forecast today is now at 70 percent in bloom. For anyone heading out for the flower-viewing festival, pollen is on a high count today, so be sure to wear-”_

**April 1 20XX**

_“-little is known about the root cause of these incidents. I can’t make a joke out of this, even if I wanted to-”_

_“-deteriorating tracks within Kanda station were found as the cause for the most recent derailment. The ministry of transport-”_

_“-Manager of the public TV network XX was found dead outside of his home. Witnesses described the incident with detail;_

_‘I was his neighbour and we usually greet each other in the morning. He was just about to head to his car when he suddenly collapsed on the floor. I don’t know how-”_

**April 10 20XX**

_“-According to the police, the engineer’s life was not in danger despite his injuries. After questioning, even he could not explain his high speed when approaching the sta-”_

Tinders switched the widescreen off, tossing the remote to the side with huff.

“No use keeping track of the news if they keep saying the same reports,” William said with a shrug. “After some talk with a few analysts at THQ, they’re saying these shutdown and breakdown incidents have doubled their count since the start of this year.”

Before Mira knew it, spring break had long since ended. And though she could at least guarantee Akechi’s silence, it wasn’t enough to let herself be lax about the situation. Not when her classmate made his intentions clear. That aside, for the entirety of her spring break, the team toiled themselves to digging into the apparent pattern of fragment vessels across the city.

It was apparent that something similar happened in the past with Reina, being a survivor of the fragment vessel possession. Based on that incident alone, Cobe had long since concluded that there must have been a strong host responsible for scattering the anomalies across Tokyo. But given the nature of how scattered these vessels were from each other; it was difficult to pin-point where the paper-trail began or ended. To top it all off, the breakdowns and shutdown incidents continued to throw a wrench in the midst of it.

“These incidents aren’t even our department,” Reina grumbled. “We have _another_ job to do, not this ridiculous-”

The door slammed open to reveal Thomas in his black uniform gear, dropping his duffel bag on the floor.

“No rest for the wicked,” he slumped to the coach, limbs sprawling across the plush cushions.

“Welcome home,” Mira greeted.

Tinders walked over to where he lay and wordlessly dragged his feet off the couch. The stoic leader sat on the seat next to him, her fatigue evident through the dark circles under her eyes.

“How bad was it?” William asked his friend.

Thomas shook his head. “Not good. It’s worse that what the media footage showed us. It’s practically a warzone. I can confirm however, this was no accident. Apart from the instigator, a few site inspectors were apparently called off before they were able to inform the head of the company of the deteriorating tracks.”

“Just how understaffed is this branch to suddenly have us look into these incidents?” Chamomile asked.

“It’s not our place to ask questions,” Tinders retorted. “Bottom line is, the anomaly and the breakdowns share similar circumstances. I think it’d be good if we broaden our horizon a little, since we keep encountering more of them than Dark Matter.”

“What did you find in there, anyway?” Reina asked.

“It’s the same as the other case,” he groaned. “A sudden psychotic breakdown without any warning. If this case was Dark Matter’s doing, the guy wouldn’t be able to crawl himself out of that warzone with a sound mind.”

The irony of the situation, to Mira anyway, was how the circumstances seemed to fall into Akechi’s favour in the end. After the doubling numbers of these incidents, Tokyo HQ asked for the Starcatcher operative to investigate the psychotic breakdowns. Despite her insistence of not ‘playing’ his game, fate wanted to tell her otherwise.

At the same time, the last fragment candidate they dealt with was Tatsuki Kawaki. The mere thought alone bore fruit to a ludicrous idea.

“…W-we haven’t had any signs of candidates for a month now,” Mira cautiously said. “Isn’t that a good thing? Doesn’t that mean we’ve gotten rid of all the anomaly fragments from the city?”

Everyone’s eyes turned towards her, all wearing blank expressions.

“Sorry, I misspoke-”

“Funny you should say that,” William leaned back against the backrest of his chair. “I was thinking the same thing too.”

“Just because we haven’t seen it in a month doesn’t mean Dark Matter is gone for good,” Cobe said solemnly. “Just like a common cold, the effects of his fragments differ from person to person. Which is exactly why it makes things difficult for the untrained eye to see.”

Feeling a little braver, Mira asked, “But, how do you know the anomaly is still present?”

“I know he’s still here,” the albino firmly insisted. “Furthermore, I believe there are still other things about this place that’s worth looking into more.”

“The lack of results from our routine reports are exactly why THQ handed this case to us,” Tinders interjected. “I trust your senses, Cobe, but what the admin wants is solid evidence to sustain our funding for this operative. So, I can’t blame anyone for any doubts they have about us at any given moment. However-”

Tinders squinted as she raised her chin up to the ceiling.

“Things would have worked much faster if it hadn’t been for this country’s lack of competent investigators,” she gave out a fatigued sigh. “I’m not one who has the right to criticize a country for its issues, but this is ridiculous.”

Thomas scoffed. “No kidding. Tell me again, why can’t the SGI be as well-known like the FBI? If we just show our badges in front of the authorities like those Northerner movies, it’d make this mission soo much easier.”

“And risk the world scrambling all over the Mystic Isles?” Tinders sighed again. “I know you weren’t serious, but for goodness sake, don’t say such careless things. Things are bad as is to have those fragments finding their way into this country.”

Recalling Mira’s last exchange with Akechi, she said; “Akechi-san is part of the investigation for these psychotic breakdowns, that much I know.”

Everyone paused. A few of them lowered their heads in thought.

“Is he, now?” William eyed her.

“I thought that was common knowledge,” Chamomile chimed in. “I mean, there isn't a news report that didn't have the young Herlock onscreen.”

“Don't you mean ‘Sherlock’?”

“Hey Mira,” Thomas raised his head. “You’re classmates with that idol detective, right? How ‘bout asking him a couple of questions to make things easier on our end?”

“Sorry, I can’t do that,” the insider said resolutely. “It would raise too many suspicions.”

A part of her was beginning to think she might have burned her bridges too soon, if she had known it might come to this.

“I can’t see the point of wasting our time with this,” Reina protested. “Dabbling into a country’s political scandal isn’t our department. I can’t see how these incidents align with our agenda.”

“It’s because these incidents are too close-knit with each other is exactly why we might need to investigate it,” said Tinders. “These fragments were first reported three years ago, correct? A year after that, the psychotic breakdowns and mental shutdowns soon followed in suite. It’s too soon to draw out conclusions, but I do have my suspicions.”

Mira thought back on the situation with Tatsuki Kawaki, recalling the words Cobe had mentioned earlier. The insider turned her attention to the crime board they had set up.

The board was littered with lines that connect to photographs of victims and incidents corelated to the psychotic breakdowns. A few words written in Gildaarian text were annotated on the side. A separate section was compiled of fragment vessels whom they had dealt with.

“I do find it odd, though,” Cobe said blankly. “How every victim to these incidents happened to coincide with the fragment’s possession. Particularly the mental shutdown incidents.”

All heads turned towards the albino.

“What?” he tilted his head innocently.

“-That’s it.”

“-Yeah, no doubt.”

“-Why didn’t I think about it-”

Tinders stood from her seat and stood in front of the board. Taking up one of the board markers, she began drawing lines that interconnect the sections between the mental shutdown victims and the fragment vessels.

Mira held her breath, her eyes following Tinders’s marker staining the whiteboard with red ink.

“I think you’re onto something Cobe,” the team leader muttered.

“Am I?”

“For every mental shutdown or psychotic episode, there lies a handful of fragment candidates,” she explained. “B IT company; two psychotic, one mental shutdown. Ten fragment carriers. The orphanage dean; first reported victim to the shutdown; seven caretakers, twenty orphan kids as fragment carriers. Diet member; psychotic breakdown; his immediate family; fragment carriers.”

Tinders began off a couple of names, drawing lines between the two sections. Chamomile stood next to her superior, followed by the rest of the team. A few of them began recounting from the top of their heads of the missions they had conducted.

But when it came to the Shujin students, the team leader paused before she drew a circle around their names.

“This-” William held his chin.

“-Huh,” Thomas gaped.

“Well, well,” Chamomile sneered a grin.

Mira knew why everyone were stumped. Of all the candidates they’ve dealt with, students of Shujin were the only ones who weren’t linked with the shutdown or breakdown incidents.

“I’ve always had a strange feeling it might come to this,” the empath said casually.

“Heh,” Thomas then locked the boy’s head with his elbow and began ruffling the boy’s white mane. “Really, Cobe? If you had a feeling about it, why didn’t you say so two weeks ago.”

“Guys, stop messing around,” Tinders crossed her arms, her obsidian eyes locked on circled group of names. “So, it’s gonna come to this, huh.”

“Your orders, sir?” William asked.

“Hmph,” the lieutenant lifted a corner of her mouth. “Alright. Here’s what we’ll do for now: Thomas, Chamomile and I will continue investigating the psychotic breakdowns. Reina, Cobe and William will be the ones in charge of the fragment investigation. There’ll be instances where we’ll have to change hands, depending on any new developments along the way.”

She then turned to Mira, “Mira, the crux of this operation rests on your connections. I know this is a lot to ask, but I’m going to need you-”

“I’ll do it,” the insider said adamantly.

“Alright,” Tinders nodded at her answer. “My first order for you is to look in further on Shujin Academy. Make a few sweeps in there while you’re at it.”

“Roger.”

As the lieutenant began orating their new strategy, a wave of uncertainty sank deep into Mira’s thoughts.

_Are you satisfied now, Akechi-san?_

The mere memory of their last exchange bothered her for the entire spring break. It troubled her more now, at the prospect that everything was now working into his favour.

And what frustrated her the most, was knowing how it was all possible he might be the closest to the truth to what they were looking for.

_‘Play your part, then maybe you’ll find out.’_

That alone made her feel ashamed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s always hard for me to write characters that aren’t mine. Especially when it comes down to forcing these characters into situations that push the boundary of their dynamic. It’s easy to imagine the dynamic of characters like the actual phantom thieves and the P5 protagonist, simply because their archetype is the most predictable/easy to understand.  
> But Akechi’s character, in hindsight, is a good character to analyse, but a hard one to explore once you put him in scenarios outside the plot’s dynamic. On one hand, he’s that charismatic detective. On the other hand, he has that layer of vulnerability that you’d want to explore as a fic writer. And then there’s that bitter side of him we see in Royal. But the issue with writing him here is that question of whether or not his reactions would either bring about his manipulative side or vulnerable side. Writing these scenarios got me thinking: is this too caricature-ish to have him react this way? Or is this reaction a little out-of-character?  
> On one hand, I do want to capture that feeling of bitterness towards the injustice he went through. But I don’t really know if he’s the type who’d easily empathise over other people’s experiences. Ah, my brain hurts thinking about this.
> 
> EDIT: Well, well. this chapter was particularly hard to rewrite, simply because I realize how some of his reactions didn't make sense on the earlier version. I wanted to at least fix that part as well as the meeting scene.


	8. A brush with fate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rewritten chapter updated at: 4/08/2020

**April 11 20XX**

**Early Morning**

Chamomile mused herself as she painted Mira’s face with the make-up brush.

“Your face is so plain, I could literally paint you into a masterpiece,” she cheerily said as she guided the brush on her cheeks.

_Is she making fun of me?_

“Cham, I don’t know if that’s a compliment or a joke,” Thomas wacked the back of his sister’s head lightly.

“It’s a compliment, bro,” she jabbed back at him. “Even I wish I had a face like Mira-chan’s. It’s so easy to change her face with a little shadow to define a few lines on her face- and there! All done!”

The cheery girl whipped up a mirror in front of the newly disguised Shujin student.

Mira blinked in quiet surprise. Her brown eyes now looked sharper. Her cheekbones were more defined and her lips small than before.

“-You’re really good at this,” the insider muttered.

“I know, right?”

“It always scares me how girls can pull off stuff like this,” Thomas made an uneasy chuckle.

“I know someone who could do something better,” Mira began scrolling down her phone gallery. “He’s the one who tipped us on Kawaki’s case.”

“Oh?”

Mira flipped the screen to the two siblings, revealing Tsubaki’s cosplay as a Sweet Pallet Squad member, then swiped to the next image of him as Sasuke Uchiha.

“-That’s insane.”

“…Northerners are scary,” Thomas’s jaw dropped.

“Alright,” Chamomile clapped her hands. “Now, let’s do your hair and then you’re done.”

Just as the cheery girl started braiding the student’s hair, Mira grimaced at the memory of her exchange with Akechi.

In hindsight, she was beginning to wonder which one was the right choice in this situation. On hand, she didn’t want any more outsiders involved. Especially if they happened to be people she knew. However, if it is in the team’s best interest to have him on their side, she had no right to deter them from that decision.

_Even so…_

The last time it happened-

_‘-I shouldn’t have listened to you-!’_

-Things spiralled out of control.

Despite all warnings. Despite her making it clear of the consequences that came with getting involved; he was insistent on doing things his way.

A secret organisation like theirs have a track record of silencing witnesses on the spot. Be it via co-operation or memory extraction. Killing them however, is merely the last resort if HQ deems them too dangerous to be kept alive.

_At this point, there’s no way they’d kill him._

Axing off a popular figure like Goro Akechi would be a detriment to SGI, since it’d rouse unnecessary suspicion. But based on their last team meeting, the circumstances speak for itself.

All that was left was the waiting game.

The mere thought of it irritated her.

“Shoot,” she uttered. “That idiot.”

Thomas blinked.

“‘That idiot?’” Chamomile asked innocently.

“Hmm…” Thomas’s rusted gold eyes stared at her suspiciously.

He raised his gaze over to his sister and wore an impish grin. It was hard to tell what expression Chamomile made, since she was busy braiding Mira’s hair.

 _Oh, no._ _I don’t like that look-_

“That reminds me,” he said. “I was wondering about this for a while; you never told us what happened after your classmate’s little run-in. How did that go?”

An odd sound escaped the insider’s lips.

_Shoot._

“Wait, don’t tell me,” Thomas leaned in. “He found out, didn’t he?”

She casted her gaze to her feet.

“Oh boy,” Chamomile said behind her.

“I had a feeling something was off,” he drew away from her, shaking his head. “There’s no way an idol detective would be able to overlook something like that after seeing Reina. No wonder you were so adamant about not asking him.”

“I had the situation under control- I think,” Mira felt her words deflating before these two.

“You think?” the siblings unanimously said.

“Irk…”

Realising there was no escaping these two veteran agents, she fumbled her words as she summarized her entire ordeal. Not failing to mention his proposed ‘game’ he imposed on her.

“Oh, ho ho,” Thomas laughed darkly. “So, he thinks he can outsmart an SGI agent, eh?”

She didn’t like that glint in his eyes.

“His loss,” Chamomile chimed in as she reached for a blue ribbon on the table. “We eventually ended up looking into those incidents anyway, so this game of his is sourly one-sided.”

“Did you get all that, Linda? What do you think we should do?”

Tinders, who was silent the entire time closed her eyes with her arms crossed.

“First,” the leader said sharply. “Saito. I’m awfully disappointed. You should have known better than to handle this situation by yourself. Second. Under normal circumstances, we’d have to relocate and change hands to shake him off our trail. However-”

She paced around the room, her hand covering her mouth as she knitted her thoughts together.

“After what we discussed yesterday, this might work to our advantage. At the same time- the cons might outweigh the pros here… Especially if this child has ties to something as big as the SIU. Hmm…” the team leader directed her gaze at Mira. “We’ll discuss this issue further after tonight. For now, stick with today’s plans.”

“Why wait for tonight?” Thomas asked. “Why not discuss it-”

“-I said, we’ll discuss this _after_ tonight.”

**Morning**

To the best of her ability, Mira followed along the narrow path towards Shujin Academy. Since it was midday at best, the police would have started making their rounds.

“What was all that anyways? That castle, and Kamoshida, and that weird cat! The hell’s goin’ on?!”

The agent’s ears pricked at the distant yelling from where she stood.

“What’s with the yelling? Are you students at Shujin?”

The mere sight of that navy-blue uniform had Mira turn her heel. The last thing she’d want was having to be seen by those blue coats. She glanced over her shoulder to see the backs of two Shujin students being hounded by two officers. One was a dyed blond student and the other was a black-haired boy.

 _Not my business,_ she told herself.

Going back to the plan, she decided it’d be wiser to head over to the campus before she’d be seen.

**Lunchtime**

When she reached the perimeter of the school’s gate, her eyes widened and retreated back into a corner.

There were two teachers standing by at the school’s entrance.

_Shoot!_

Recalling the two officers and the two Shujin students, Mira realised the police must have notified the school about those two hooky students.

_Now, what should I do?_

The school’s entrance was meters away from where she stood. With the school gate riddled with a wire fence and cemented walls, it would be impossible to climb over without being seen.

The agent whipped up her phone, searching in her files for the school’s layout. Just as she was about to make a mental route for her intrusion, the two prodigal students entered her vantage from a different intersection.

“Is this for real?” she heard the blond speak. “I’m sure we came the same way… What’s goin’ on here…?”

“That’s exactly what I wanted to ask you,” said the teacher. “We received a call from the police.”

Realising this was her only chance, she ran up to the corner where the vending machines were. Hauling herself up to climb on top of one of them, she crouched down low to avoid their sight.

As the blond student and the teacher exchanged snide remarks, the agent tossed her bag over the fence.

“What was that?” the teacher asked sharply.

Mira ducked her head but peaked through the wired barrier.

“It’s probably just a cat,” said the other teacher. “So anyway, what’s this about a castle?”

“Kamoshida?!” the blond student said in alarm.

 _That’s right you two, keep them busy,_ she cautiously thought as she grabbed a pair of wire cutters. With a quick precision, she snipped an opening on the barrier (I do not condone the act of trespassing, so don’t do this kids).

“-He’s the one that provoked me!”

*snip*

“-Do you really wanna be expelled!? In any case-”

*snip*

When the opening was wide enough, the insider climbed through the hole, making a mental not to fix the damages when the day was over. Grabbing her bag, she crouched as low as possible, hiding her figure behind the low hedges.

“By the way,” she overheard the teacher in a white shirt say. “You’re that new transfer student, correct? Akira Kurusu?”

The blond student climbed up the steps, wearing a disgruntled look as he followed the other teacher. She waited for the white-shirt teacher to turn his back towards the school entrance. Based on the stop-watch that hung around his neck; track pants and his muscular build, she knew this man was Kamoshida.

_Hmm…_

That name was tossed in the air several times last year whenever she infiltrated Shujin.

As soon as the other student and mentor duo disappeared through those doors, Mira seized her chance and tip-toed half-way towards the entrance until-

“-Have we met somewhere before?”

Her heart galloped, turned her head, only to see the gym teacher’s back facing her.

Her line of sight fell to the black-haired student, who made eye-contact with her.

The bi-specked student’s eyes widened a little.

“I saw a girl in your car,” he replied.

“That’s right, I remember now,” Kamoshida replied. “I’ll overlook this just for today… I’m sure you’ve heard this from the principle, but cause any trouble and you’ll be expelled. Understand?”

_I know this is low of me, but please stall him a little more!_

She shut her eyes, put her hands together and directed her silent plea towards the boy.

The student, having figured out what she was asking replied; “Can you overlook more?”

“Is that supposed to be a joke? I’m not laughing.”

_Random student, whoever you are, thank you. I will not forget this debt I owe you._

She released a long breath, giving him a nod of thanks as she successfully infiltrated the school entrance.

* * *

_MIRA: Hello, Kawaki-kun. This is Ayame, one of Tsubaki’s friends. Can we meet?_

The insider navigated her way around the school halls and stopped at a less populated area by the stairs. Her phone buzzed;

_KAWAKI: Ayame-san? The one who fixed the scammer issue at XX-con?_

_MIRA: Yep, that’s me. I’m in your campus now, where are you?_

_KAWAKI: nurse’s office._

_MIRA: alright._

Upon her arrival, she found the nurse’s office empty with Kawaki as its only resident, sitting on one of the beds.

“Are you Ayame-san?” he asked.

No trace of the abuse stained his face, but his frame now seemed frailer and thin. Contrary to their last encounter, she could see the light in his eyes; but were tinted with weariness.

“Yeah, that’s me,” she closed the door behind her. “Finally pleased to meet you, Kawaki-kun.”

She walked over and took a chair for her to sit down.

“What are you doing here in Shujin? I thought you aren’t a student.”

“I’m not,” she smiled. “I just dropped by to see how you’re doing.”

Kawaki moved an inch back. “But- why?”

“I’m actually here on Tsubaki’s behalf.”

She explained to him how her associate has been worried sick about his re-occurring abuses. Pointing out that there’s still a chance to make up with his friends. Asking him how he was doing mentally and physically. All the while, she omitted the details regarding the fragment’s influence.

“I’m so ashamed,” he said. “All that time, I- I don’t know what I was thinking. I lashed out to the group. I lashed out to my friends… I called them ‘drags’ like I wasn’t even part of their gig.”

He violently rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. Mira sat by and watched, waiting for him to speak.

The bell rang, signalling the end of lunchbreak. She half-expected him to excuse himself to leave, only for him to stay put as his tears streamed down his face.

“Kawaki-kun,” she finally said. “What if I told you I can arrange for you to transfer out of this school.”

“…Huh?”

“I have a lot of connections,” she began. “Actually, Tsubaki personally asked me to help you out. The best I can do for you is to make a few arrangements to have you transferred to another school. And if you like, it could be a school of your choosing.”

“A-Ayame-san, that’s too much- even for me…”

Mira eyed the boy before her and frowned. With a calculated low voice, she strung her words delicately. “…I’ve been informed that you were bullied a lot since last year. The head trauma you received from the abuse- and the lapse of memory loss and your sudden erratic behaviour because of it.”

The agent had no choice but to define the fragment’s symptoms into ‘Northern-Realm’ logic to him.

“I… those injuries were from… practice…” he mumbled.

“To the extent of being sent to the hospital?”

Silence.

“Kawaki-kun,” she reached for his shoulder with a light pat. “I promise you; I won’t get you in trouble. If not for your own sake, but for your friends who worry about you; won’t you try and reconsider? -But if you wish to turn down the offer, that’s okay. But my offer still stands before the end of the school year.”

* * *

Mira treaded cautiously as she crossed the school halls. In her head, she reminded herself that Shujin’s classes were said to end early that day due to the most recent subway accident. Which meant, she’ll have to hurry if she were to meet her quota of intel for the day.

Four Shujin students were fragment candidates; all of them bore recurring injuries. Whoever the abuser was, that person was doing the anomaly a favour by feeding them with negativity. According to Cobe, this Dark Matter creature prefers to feed onto the ‘shadow’ of one’s soul.

_Could it be a fellow student? An honour student with the school backing of some kind? Or perhaps…_

It was hard to understand the motivations behind people of her age group. Having grown familiar with the company of adults, it was difficult to relate with people of her age outside of the SGI’s jurisdiction.

With that said, she only knew of ambition of those who sought to attain more power. She understood consequences that come with entering a territory of secrets. She knew of a life where everything was for the greater good, even if it meant sacrificing a normal livelihood in favour of becoming a weapon.

But to throttle students into a broken state? She couldn’t comprehend it.

Just as the thought crossed her mind, she peeped through the small split opening of the teacher’s faculty room.

_Empty._

Mira entered the room and headed for the student record list. Opening the folder for the previous school year records, she flipped to the list of problematic students. One of them apparently was the blond-haired student from earlier. Whipping up her phone, she quickly took photos of every page. She flipped through the current year’s records to find a profile that stuck out.

_‘Akira Kurusu’_

_‘On probation for assault. Transferred on April of 20XX’_

_Wait, that guy from earlier?_

She paused for a moment, recalling the face of the boy who helped distract Kamoshida at the school entrance. This fact alone shouldn’t faze her, not when she’s met too many individuals who were capable of acts of kindness and cruelty.

She shook her head and resumed collecting the necessary data.

The bell rang, alerting of the incoming flood of teachers. Closing the records folder, she carefully pushed the files back to the shelf; smoothly allowing herself to leave the school faculty room with ease.

**Evening**

Despite all efforts in hoping to catch the train, Mira missed it by a minute the moment she reached the ticket gates.

She cursed at herself for being too slow, knowing how the train lines to Kichijoji were affected by the subway accident. A part of her wished she hadn’t changed out of her Shujin uniform if she had known this would happen. She looked into her phone, summarising the quickest alternate routes to the safe house.

In the corner of her eye, she spotted the back of a black cat with white paws, standing by the edge of the train platform.

_Cat?_

If there was ever one impulse she wasn't ashamed of, she could never contain herself with, it’d be the sight of cats.

The black cat wandered around, before it decided to sit on its hind legs on one of the seats. No one else seemed to notice its presence when it brushed past a couple of loitering stragglers.

Mira looked at the time on the train station’s clock and decided a small distraction wouldn’t hurt. So she decided to stealthily observe the creature to pass the time.

Upon the train’s arrival, the feline hopped off the seat and leaped into the train, prompting her to follow it.

_How strange._

She noted the yellow collar around its neck; informing her this cat was no stray. Either the owner trained it well to know how to use human facilities like this, or the feline merely wandered around aimlessly. At the arrival of Shibuya station, the cat left the carriage without a care in the world with the agent following in pursuit.

A part of her rationalized her cat-stalking behaviour; telling herself she merely wished to return it back to its owner. But upon further observation, the cat seemed to know its way around the station.

The insider now hurriedly touched off on the ticket gates, not wanting to miss the opportunity to pet its sleek fur. She realized this behaviour was merely unprofessional, but one of her small delights in life was to cuddle a cat at least once.

Just as she continued following the feline around the train station, the cat turned a corner; bringing Mira to hasten her steps by a smidge. Upon reaching the small intersection, the cat disappeared from her sight.

_Huh?_

The insider took another step just to be sure, but was suddenly greeted with nausea. Her sense of balance collapsed. Had it not been for the wall next to her, she would have fallen flat on her face.

She felt the wind brush on her cheek; on her peripheral view, she could’ve sworn she saw something black flew past her at lightning speed.

_What is this-?_

The agent’s vision was suddenly tinted red. She had to blink twice to regain her balance. Raising her head up, her pupils dilated at the scenery before her.

The evening rush of passengers vanished.

Shibuya station was dyed red.

Mira straightened her posture, now more alert than ever. She took a few paces forward, glancing from side to side.

There was no sign of life as she felt the void sink in.

The girl reached for her radio.

“Gemma to HQ,” she said, pressing her ear piece deeper into her ear. “Gemma to HQ.”

Silence.

She jolted at the sight of black slithery lines that resembled an artery clinging onto the station’s walls.

In the back of her mind, Cobe’s words whispered;

_‘It’s as if… something has possessed this city.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I struggled to write this chapter, trying to think about things that worked and things that didn't work.  
> It's a little late to realise this, but I could have technically cut off the first 5 chapters if it meant really getting to the 'real' premise of the story. It's become apparent my skills as a writer remain lackluster, when I realized how much I'm dragging this story before it could get the scenes I wanted to write.  
> EDIT: I still think this is imperfect, but I did change a few details to make this interlink with the future chapters.


	9. A Labyrinth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Re-written, edited updated at 8/08/2020

All her life, Mira Saito was never spared from many secrets the world had concealed. Rivalling secret organisations. The hidden archipelago known as the Mystic Isles. The existence of powerful abilities known as endowments and magic. A race of people who could catch stars. The magnitude of worlds the universe contained.

But knowing truly was different from seeing it for the first time.

 _A pocket dimension?_ She thought.

She glanced at her phone. No signal or a hint of a working network.

The Insider had been well-versed with case reports of the ‘rabbit-hole’ phenomena; where SGI agents stumbled across a hidden portal that lead to some world unknown.

But to think she’d experience a textbook case of this phenomenon. That alone meant she’d have to prepare for the worst.

She slung her bag down and assessed her current items she had. Her Shujin uniform; a pouch of make-up; a small plier set; energy bars; water; wiretap; a pocket-sized notebook and a pencil case.

Seeing her radio as dead weight; it was a matter of choosing between find a way back or investigate where this rabbit hole could lead.

Her eyes combed the scenery. The world was dyed in crimson; the ticket gates were unlocked; the splaying black tendrils pulsed with danger-red lights that travelled down towards the subway platforms. Every step bore no weight as her feet left rippled on the ground. It was hard to tell if her sight was to blame for its tinted scenery or the lights that illuminated the station in glaring vermillion. She shuddered at the association of this place to the interior of a beast’s belly.

Realising she was the only human standing in this red world, she took notes, marking every inch of space on her pages with her observations.

Uncertainty gripped her, prompting her to recount the steps that led her here in the first place.

 _I was following a cat,_ she thought. _Maybe there’s a portal exit from the same way?_

Retracing her steps, she headed over to the corner where she saw the cat disappeared.

_Nothing._

Deciding it’d be good to scope her surroundings a little further in, she dared to wander further down into the lower platforms. With every step down, the floor beneath her felt buoyant and unstable. Every inch deeper into the crimson domain pricked her skin with gooseflesh.

_It’s like… I’m in some whale’s stomach or something._

A few layers down the station, and already the air grew potent and suffocating. But at this point, her body gradually adjusted to the atmosphere, but her trepidations lingered in the back of her mind. Wind howled through her from behind, urging her to go deeper into the unknown.

Though she had burned Shibuya station’s floor plan into her memory, every corner she turned barely resembled the corridors she memorized. Upon further descent into the red train station, she had at least expected to find a familiar platform in the midst of it. Instead, the platform was ludicrously arranged to echo the appearance of a docking area rather than a train platform. And right ahead of the platform, the train tracks snaked into a wide gaping hole that led into a sinister void.

“What the hell is this?!” she said aloud.

The insider turned her heel and ran to the base of the stairs then retreated back to the platform. Feeling frustrated at the ridiculousness of her current location, she turned to her radio once more.

“Gemma to HQ?” she said. “Tinders-san? Thomas-san? Chamomile-san? Anyone?”

The radio was dead silent.

“GAH!” she threw her hands in the air. “This is by far the worst I’ve ever had to come across. Give me a heist or an operative involving infiltrating some high security! How did I end up in a place like this?!”

Mira wanted to throw something. Anything. But even if she did, nothing would change her current predicament.

“Screw this,” she jumped off the platform and onto the railway tracks. “Don’t underestimate an insider with a knock for charting new areas.”

She flipped to a clean page of her notebook, drawing out a layout of the path she made earlier. The agent took the charge, flashing the light on her phone to see road ahead of her. As she explored the area, Mira made certain to leave breadcrumb trails in case she’d find herself lost in this strange labyrinth.

But the deeper she walked, the more warped the path appeared. The black veins that splayed on the walls pulsed as red lights traversed through them. She shuddered.

_Who would have thought there was a cavity as deep as this within the city?_

But as she followed along, something moved in the corner of her eye. Her head turned sharply, flashing her phone light into the distance.

Nothing.

She retreated back to her current path; her senses now keenly aware as she treaded lightly on the water floor.

At the turn of a corner, she spotted a figure cladded in dark garbs. Immediately, she switched her phone light off and pocketed it. Judging by the built frame, she assumed this was a man. Dark grey and blue stripes ran diagonally along his one-piece suit. A black fraying cape hung on his back, adorned with a black, studded belt around his waist, arms and leg. What struck her the most was the headpiece, a helmet-like visor concealed his face, creating the illusion of a crow’s head.

_Should I risk it?_

It was already difficult to discern whether or not this lone figure was even human, based on the ominous presence he exudes. Unable to decide whether or not she should approach him, the black-masked figure pressed forward.

She trailed behind him, leaving a gap of a few long meters between them. Her eyes at this point had grown accustomed to the darkness surrounding her. Before long, the black-masked figure disappeared, and all that was left was a warping wall that kaleidoscoped in ominous patterns of black and red.

_What is…_

She drew closer to the warping wall, her hand hesitated as she stretched her arm to touch it. Mira pulled back at the last second and found herself trembling at the strangeness to it all.

Too many questions bombarded her thoughts.

What is this strange place? Who was that black-masked man? How did she find herself in this strange world?

Her mind was overwhelmed as the sensation of fear slowly crawled on her back.

_No, that’s it. I’m going back._

Turning her heel, her steps grew faster and desperate as she retreated. There was something about the place that seemed to heighten her sense of fear. The red, dim lights; the black veins that cling onto the walls; the endless train tracks.

Her eyes followed the breadcrumb trail she left, but with every step further, the road ahead of her seemed unending.

Then there it stood.

A black haze hovered at a distance; its features bore a striking resemblance to the apparitions her team have been hunting for more than a year. But unlike before, its smog appearance was solid; bearing a faceless, cloaked figure with tendrils of shadow swaying at the hems.

The insider stepped back, her skin shuddering at the stale cold air.

_How… Why is it here?_

Her reports clearly stated these anomalies relied on physical bodies to survive. Every time Cobe drew them out of their host’s body, these fragments would dissipate into thin air.

And yet-

“ChiLD oF mAN. WhAT HonOR is ThiS tO hAve YoU in my pREseNce…” a rattling echo inquired.

She took further steps back.

“What the heck… is going on…” she murmured. “How is this even possible?”

The shrouded figure laughed.

“FoR As long as hE… is HeRE… I remain anD… FinAlLY LiVE… aGAin aS a fiXeD eNTity.”

The mere presence of its hideous form repulsed her.

The mere thought of conversing with such a creature, knowing of its parasitic nature made her nauseous.

_But-_

“What is this place,” she reviled at her own words. “And how is it possible for you to be here without a vessel?”

Information comes first before impulsive emotions.

That had always been what she was taught.

“WhAT dO yoU ThInk CHilD of mAn? tHIS is tHE CeSspoOL oF MaN’s DEEpesT DeSIRes…”

“Stop talking in riddles.”

Its rattling voice sudden spoke with clarity; “What other way is there to explain?”

The shrouded creature swooped down; its faceless figure flung itself to her direction. Before she could comprehend what was happening, her brown eyes stared at its faceless void; a sight so frightening yet hypnotic beneath its eyeless gaze.

“ThIS IS mAn’S tRUe hEArt… the WaRping LoOMinG laBiRynTH that Never EnDs…” the creature echoed with a thousand voices until the disjointed sounds unified into one voice. “Just as your own shadow cannot decide it’s true face…”

Tendrils of its shadow enveloped her; numbing her senses till all that was left was the stale, cold air.

“Girl of many namesss…” it hissed. “Who are you…”

The creature pierced its malice into her heart as shards of memories splintered across her mind.

* * *

_“Koharu,” a gentle, feminine voice whispered in her thoughts. “All you have to do- is pull the trigger.”_

_No._

_“-For today, you will be Ayumi. And Ayumi is the role of a captive princess-”_

_Please stop._

_“-let’s play the game of faces. You will be the hero for today-”_

_“-Miyu!”_

_“-Akane-”_

_“Ayame”_

_“Hotaru”_

_“-If you keep at it, in two years your skills will exceed a ranked agent-” A male voice praised._

_Stop it._

_Splintered images of a couple sat on either side of her. Books and maps splayed across the dining table._

_“This is for the good of the league. We’ll show those SGI bastards our methods are the most sufficient.”_

_Scenes of her tiny hands reaching for the emergency button._

_“Oka-san. Oto-san.” She heard a child’s voice pleading. “Is Koharu- Ayumi a tool?”_

_“-So what if you are?”_

* * *

“NOO!”

Mira struggled with all her might, the shadows engulfed itself around her, crushing the wind out of her body.

_I can’t breathe!_

The apparition took its time to smother her lungs, enveloping her senses and ate away her waning sanity. Suppressed pain. Lingering resentments. Bitterness. Anguish. Retribution.

In the midst of the gyre of emotions, a strong will of rebellion screamed.

_I won’t accept this._

A passing memory crossed her mind; recalling the methods this creature uses to possess its host. She fought back, resisting its cruel influence.

 _“What’s wrong?”_ the creature sneered. _Isn’t that who you are?”_

“N-no-”

_That’s not it._

_“All those times you told yourself you’d be willing to sacrifice yourself for their cause.”_

“That’s not it-”

_“Yet despite all you claim yourself to be… you’d allow yourself to be so weak- and let others use you for their own devices- isn’t that what you wanted?”_

_You’re wrong._

_“Don’t worry,”_ the fragment’s voice then melded into her mother’s. _“I’ll make sure to make better use of you.”_

She didn’t know what it was when it happened.

Was it the fragment’s influence? Or shards of memories she had long hoped to suppress? Or was it everything that had been accumulating up to this point?

Either way, something within her snapped.

“Stop it with this BS.”

_“Hmm?”_

“Being used? Being someone else’s toy?” a new found strength tore herself away from the fragment’s tendrils. “That’s not up for them to decide. I DECIDE WHO I WILL MESS AROUND WITH!”

A blast of energy pushed the anomaly back, sending shockwaves within her perimeter.

**_“They say a wise woman learns from her first mistake.”_ **

Her head throbbed, bringing her on her knees.

**_“Fool you once. Shame on you. Fool you twice. Shame on them. Isn’t that correct?”_ **

“I-Indeed,” with the ounce of power that weigh heavily on her head, she slowly picked herself up to stand. “I won’t let anyone play me for a fool. Even much less a puppet. My decisions are mine to make and THEY ARE MY RESPONSIBILITY!”

**_“Then make your oath. I am thou. Thou art I-”_ **

Eyes glowed an ethereal gold. The pounding in her head throbbed like a thousand lightning bolts. She gritted her teeth to endure the pain.

**_“-Let us begin the stage to show these fools!”_ **

Her fingers felt a cool, ceramic mask plastered to her face. The insider tore the mask away and with it, the power that accumulated within was finally unleashed.

“MARGUERITE!”

Blue flames engulfed her; surrounded her; but the agent did not burn. Instead, a giantess stood behind her; its figure had a red flower as it’s face; its body likened to a ceramic doll with ball-joints; dressed with red flower petals for a skirt with a sash across its chest. Her head was adorned with a 18th century wig and a hat with two flower tassels that float and billow in the air. In her doll-jointed hands carried a flintlock musket.

Mira didn’t know what this power was, nor does she know what this giantess was behind her. But she knew, with this power, she had a chance.

“Whatever you are, Dark Matter or fragment,” she declared. “Get out of my city.”

“So FOoLiSH foR a MeRE mortal. You believe YoU HavE a CHaNCE against Me?!”

“We’ll see about that!”

With an outstretched hand she commanded the giantess, a pulse of power coursed through her senses, a desire to let loose itched at her fingertips. The giantess’s ball joints rolled as her ceramic hand readied her weapon. At the pull of the trigger, the matchlock ignited its weapon; flashes of light shot through the barrel as it struck its prey.

The anomaly shrieked.

“It would TaKE mORe… tHAn THIs… to KilL me…”

“Then I’ll keep firing till you stay dead and buried! Marguerite!”

The giantess shoots its rounds once more, pushed the shrouded figure back to the wall.

In her hands, she held a long pole arm. Only then did she realize her clothes had changed. Her casual clothes were replaced with clothes dyed in white. Her torso hugged by a pale blue bodice belt; her arms covered with puff sleeves that were tucked by blue arm guards. Her head, veiled with a white hood that hid her hair. The attire itself was akin to a fencer, minus the knee-high boots and a half-moon mask that hid her face.

There was no time to assess it, for the anomaly had crumbled to the ground.

“I don’t know what spurned you to come to our world,” she readied her pole-arm to strike. “And as much as I want to be rid of you and your damned fragments; I will ask you again. What is. This. Place.”

She expected the anomaly to cower. Instead the creature laughed insidiously.

“ThiS iS mAn’S LaBYRintH oF Their DEepEST desires… a COllEctioN oF MaN’s Hive mind… A gARden Bed foR mY ExiSTencE… TeLl mE child of man… wHaT dO yOU dEsIRE thE Most?”

“Why must I answer that?” she retorted. “To you, of all things.”

“KeEP WaTCh cHiLD of mAN… For THErE LiES A gREaTeR force At pLAy…”

Wind billowed through the tunnels, and with it, the anomaly’s fraying body disintegrates into wafted plumes of smoke.

When she was assured it was all over, she gasped for air, as all the adrenaline in her body left her weak to the knees. Just as she was about to collapse, she stabbed the ground with her weapon as a crutch.

“I can’t pass out,” she ground her teeth. “Not until I find an exit-”

She turned her head back to find the giantess gone. Out of curiosity, she lifted her mask off her face, to see its design likened to a venetian moon mask; its design on its surface was a waning gibbus moon.

Mira couldn’t understand what this power was, or why she was suddenly cladded in these strange clothes. But a part of her felt it resonate with her entire being.

The agent shook her head and pressed onward into the unknown.

**Evening**

She couldn’t tell how much time had passed.

Having wandered around this labyrinth for what she’d assume to be hours long past, she was beginning to suspect she might have missed their appointed meeting. Her tired muscles persisted to ache, demanding her to take a long rest. But she knew if she stopped, resuming her journey would ache twice more.

Once or twice, she had to evade the presence of blob-like creatures that don a multitude of masks and arms. But the act itself further contributed to her loss of her bearings. And though she persisted in her plight to finding a way out, the sinking feeling had finally begun to settle in.

She was, without a doubt, lost.

 _Damn that fragment,_ she grumbled. _If that thing hadn’t gone and threw everything out the window, I would have found my way back by now._

Just as the insider began to entertain the thought of giving up, the image of her superior’s face red with fury was enough motivation for her to keep going. Mira always had a feeling Tinders, no doubt, was the sort who show her concern through bouts of endless reprimands and scolding.

 _At this rate, Tinders-san’s lecture would end at 4 am-_ A weak chuckle tumbled from her lips at the thought.

A sound of a roving vehicle snapped her out of it. A pair of lights illuminated the road ahead of her as an impending car drove right towards the agent.

“A person?” she murmured as hope slowly rekindled.

The automobile drew nearer, to which she stepped aside and waved at the driver. The car then ceased, and much to her surprise, the driver was an ashen-dressed boy with golden eyes and an odd broken-egg like helmet for his hair. Or is it actually a helmet? Mira wasn’t quite sure.

“Oh, that’s rare,” the boy said innocently. “What’s a human doing in mementos?”

“M-mementos?” she asked.

“It’s what makes up the whole area,” the pale boy gestured to the expanse of space. “How did you come here?”

“I…” she leaned to her side in thought. “To be honest, I was hoping someone could answer me that question.”

“Oh? Are you lost, then?”

“Y-yeah… I know this is too sudden to spring this up, since we’ve barely just met but- do you know a way out of here?”

“I do.”

Mira gasped in joyously. “Really?! Then, is it all possible to take me there?”

“How interesting,” the boy observed her in a manner fitting of his child-like appearance. “I thought all humans are more cautious when they’re placed in unfamiliar areas.”

“-Does that mean you won’t take me there?” her voice deflated.

“I never said I won’t do it,” his voice perked up.

“You’d show me out? Really?”

“Hop on in,” he gestured on the empty seat next to him.

Upon closer inspection, she realized the vehicle was a child-sized jeep. On the back of the car were stacks of boxes and all sorts of miscellaneous objects; all held together with several bindings of rope. She was inwardly impressed at its ability to carry so much weight on the tiny vehicle.

_Wait._

“H-hang on,” she stopped half-way before she dared to sit on the tiny seat. “If I rode on this car, that won’t break it… would it?”

“How do you mean?” the boy tilted his head.

“Uh- what if I’m too heavy…”

“Oh, that’s alright,” he waved off her comment. “This car can carry almost anything. This is Mementos, after all.”

“…” she opened her mouth to speak but was unable to string the words.

Reluctantly, she made her attempt to sitting on the passenger’s seat; and much to her dismay, she could barely fit. Her face flushed at how ridiculous she might have appeared in her attempt. And so instead, she found her sweet spot in the car, leaning against the stack of boxes with her legs resting where the car seat was.

“I am so sorry about this,” she said with a beetroot-face.

“No worries,” the boy beamed. “Better hold on tight, though. Mementos is a bumpy road ahead of us.”

She felt herself working up a sweat at very idea of falling off in the middle of the drive. Following the boy’s words, she clutched the handlebars situated at her back. The ashen boy started up the engine and almost immediately, pushed the pedal forward.

* * *

“-And we arrived at our destination!” the boy declared, shutting off the engine.

“T-that just took years off my life…” she panted as she hopped off the vehicle.

Riding with the boy felt no different from riding on a rollercoaster, minus the safety bar and the stable seating. Throughout her entire ride, there were too many instances where she thought she’d meet an untimely death.

 _Not to mention-_ she looked at boy tirelessly. _This kid’s driving…_

His accelerated speed had reached a point where she could’ve sworn, they hit zero gravity for two seconds. Not only that, he didn’t hesitate to run over those wandering creatures as if they were insignificant as a pebble on the road.

If Thomas were in her position, he’d call the boy a maniac.

“Is something wrong?” the boy asked.

“Ah, no, no, nothing at all,” she forced a smile. “It’s just that…” -she huffed- “I’ve never rode a car like that- that was a first-”

The boy’s golden eyes observed her, his curiosity now more apparent.

“Say, what’s your name?” she asked once she calmed herself down.

“My name is Jose,” he answered.

“What’s a boy like you doing in a place like this?” she began, then immediately corrected herself. “A-actually, better question: what is this place you call Mementos?”

“Mementos? Oh, its everyone’s palace,” Jose answered formally.

“…O-kay?”

_That doesn’t make sense… but…_

“What about you, masked lady? What’s your name? I’ve heard its quite customary for humans to exchange their names to become well-acquainted with each other.”

She paused for a moment, taking into consideration of the list of names she’d have to choose. But as she glanced at her own white garb and the moon mask on her face, she decided;

“Ghost. Just call me Ghost for now,” she replied.

Though it troubled her to return his kindness with mistrust, Mira felt it’d be wiser not to give him the name of her current identity.

“Okay, if you say so,” the boy said passively. “Say, Ghost. If you ever stumble your way back here, could you help me find flowers when you’re exploring this place?”

“Flowers?”

The boy then explained how the labyrinth works. Describing to her that Mementos reflect the collective unconscious of human thought. And that the flowers he asked her to find were bubbles of human emotions that were scattered across the endless maze.

“If I’m being honest,” Mira finally said after his explanation. “I don’t know how I got here and I have not guarantee I’d be able to return… I can’t make promises I can’t keep. Sorry.”

“Oh, that’s a shame,” he twiddled his fingers, swinging his arms from side to side. “I had hoped someone could help me with my research in understanding humans a little more.”

She crouched down to Jose’s eye-level, staring at his golden eyes directly. “What’s there to know about us? You are standing before a human, are you not?”

“True,” he said thoughtfully. “But observing humans while I’m in their presence does tend to ruin the outcome of my research. It’s a whole different result when your observing them from a distance. That way, you’d be able to see them in their most natural state.”

A small chuckle escaped her lips. “I think you know what you mean.”

Mira then stood up too quickly, making her feel a little light-headed. Almost immediately, the white garbs immediately reverted back to her original wear.

“Whoa,” she jolted. “I… I’m back to normal?”

“So that’s how you look like, Ghost,” Jose said in brimming curiosity. “You’re a lot plain-looking than I thought.”

“…I guess?”

“Oh, I forgot to tell you,” he interjected. “If ever you want to get out of Mementos, all you have to do is take the exit.” -he pointed at the stairs above them- “I’m sure you’ll figure out the rest.”

Her eyes followed his finger, relief brought a euphoric smile on her face.

“Thank you so much, Jose-san. I am forever in your debt,” she bowed before the boy. “If there’s ever a chance we’d meet again, I’ll hold onto my end of the bargain.”

“It’s no biggy,” the boy said lightly. “Meeting you was quite an interesting experience. I hope to see you again!”

Jose started the engine and within a flash, he turned the car around and drove all the way back into the void. Mira didn’t waste anymore time and climbed the stairs all the way up, only to be greeted by an empty station square.

She cocked her head back again to make sure, her eyes then retreated back to the desolate hangout.

 _Trust him,_ she convinced herself. _He went out of his way to drive you here, so trust him on this._

She took a deep breath and braved her first step forward.

Within a blink of an eye, everything Jose had told her was true. The city of Shibuya was once again populated with people.

The agent glanced at the station to find it lit with fluorescent lights rather than those red, dimly lit lights; the walls free from those black veins.

_I’m back-!_

Her joyous relief was immediately interrupted by endless vibrations from her phone, jolting her back to reality.

Switching on her screen, she was shocked to find a long list of notifications accumulating her screen. And on the top corner of her screen, the hour struck precisely at 2:00 am.

 _Sorry everyone,_ she gritted.

Unlocking her screen, she intended to call Tinders as soon as possible, only to receive a call from a name she hadn’t seen for seven months.

_‘Teru Oji-san’_

Mira Saito’s uncle.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... Marguerite. It was an odd coincidence that she'd fit well as Mira's persona, more than Irene Addler, so, I decided to change her persona into just that.
> 
> To those who've never heard of Marguerite, she is the main heroine of the story "the scarlet pimpernel", a play-turned-novel-then-later-musical that inspired the cliche of secret identities. Marguerite is the wife of Percy Blakeney, who is secretly the titular scarlet pimpernel.  
> Funnily enough, when I discovered the scarlet pimpernel, I realise how it's a shame they never used the scarlet pimpernel as a base persona in persona 5, since the plot works well with the game's theme of rebellion.
> 
> Anyway, enough talk about me.


	10. Resigning Emotions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited/rewritten chapter updated on 22/08/2020

**April 12 20XX**

At Higure Academy’s rooftop, Mira’s fingers clawed at the wire fence; watching the track and field club doing their rounds. If it had been three years ago, she would’ve been jealous at the sight of people being able to fit within the landscape. But upon further reflection and the years of experience being exposed to many missions and truths; a quiet epiphany gave her a better vantage of her position. It took some time, but she had resigned herself to the reality. That the only place she could ever fit in was from an overlooking view.

* * *

_She sat at the passenger’s seat of the car; her gaze fell to the bag on her lap._

_“You never informed me you were taking part of this operative.”_

_Mira lowered her head. “Sorry, Oji-san.”_

_Her uncle backed up the car before he began to drive on the main road. The flurry of Shibuya’s lights passed her by as a stagnant silence hung in the air._

_She peaked over her uncle’s profile. His hawkeyed gaze seemed softer than the last time they’ve met; his shaggy hair was tied back into a wolf’s tail. She noted the SGI icon of a gridded globe and gear pinned to the collar of his formal suit._

_“Mira, why did you lie to me?” his voice was cold and unfeeling. “I thought I told you Jii-san and I do not approve of you taking part of code red operations.”_

_“I… sorry.”_

_“I’ve had a talk with the head of Tokyo branch,” her uncle sighed. “Notified me you personally requested this mission. I know that you are dead set in joining the ranks, but can’t you reconsider this? It’s not too late to pull out and live the life free from all of this.”_

_It wasn’t the first time he’s ever said these words. Each time he said them, she was always made to aware of his perspective as a caring relative. But unlike before where she remained silent, she steeled herself to speak her mind._

_“Teru-ji… I know that you’re upset with me but- I just can’t fit in. I’m sorry that this is me, trampling on you and Jii-san’s kindness but. I just can’t find my place with the rest of the world. I can’t relate to them. And even if there are any, they too are part of the SGI.”_

_“…I’m not upset with you… I’m sorry too,” he spoke softly._

_Mira blinked in surprise. “Why are you-”_

_“I’m sorry my brother and that woman made you endure this kind of life,” his voice was slighted with bitterness. “If I had known them leaving the SGI made you like this… I should have taken you into my custody much sooner. It would put me and Jii-san at ease if you would live your life as a normal high schooler.”_

_‘Don’t say… things like that,’ she wanted to say. Instead she said;_

_“I can’t live a normal life. Not when I know that there are unknown dangers that continues to harm this world. What good is there to be part of society and not fit in, when I could find a place where I can be more useful? Isn’t that our duty as the SGI? To be the ones tasked with protecting our world behind the scenes?”_

_‘You don’t have to keep worrying about me,’ she thought. ‘I’m responsible for my decisions, why can’t you see that?’_

_She hoped to at least gain some approval from him; but her words bore the exact opposite. Her uncle grimaced; his eyes narrowed sadly._

_“…The SGI are not heroes, Mira.” He said softly. “Our ways aren’t always correct. If you stay here long enough, there may come a time when you- you will have to make a difficult decision-”_

_“-I’m well aware of that,” she insisted. “And I’m already prepared for it.”_

_“…I understand.”_

* * *

She leaned her forehead against the fence, sighing at the memory.

Despite all that bravado she demonstrated before her uncle and to herself; a lingering regret remained.

_Sometimes I wish I never knew._

But even she knew that knowing and not acting upon that knowledge was worse than the state of ignorant bliss. Nevertheless, the damage had already been done, all thanks to her parents who brought her into that side of the world.

_I wonder how the rest of the team feels about this._

Too many things flew by so fast, she only had her lunchbreaks to process it. The psychotic incidents; the anomaly fragments; Mementos. Last and certainly not least, that strange power that awakened from inside her.

The rooftop door squeaked open behind her, prompting her to glance over her shoulder.

Akechi stood by the door’s entrance, his mind seemed to be off somewhere else. As he lifted his chin, his eyes met hers.

“Is this spot taken?” he asked mildly.

“The roof is open for everyone, Akechi-san,” she said, turning her head back to the overlooking view. “There’s no need for formalities.”

“From the looks of things, you’re not avoiding me today,” he strode to her side, feeling his eyes observing her.

“Don’t flatter yourself. As of right now, you’re the least of my problems.”

He chuckled, “After our last exchange, I barely saw you in class at all. We barely started the school year and your track record of absences have already piled up. Is it not a wonder I’d come to this conclusion?”

“My time…” she lowered her head. “My time here is precious. Contrary to all your assumptions, I don’t have the luxury to spend my idle days in school nowadays.”

Within her vantage below, people walked; ran; sat down and chattered about idle things. They didn’t need to know. Goro Akechi most certainly didn't need to know about the layers of conspiracies and intrigue this world has to offer.

“Is this something related to your secret ‘occupation’?”

She lifted her head at his direction, staring at him blankly.

The insider debated over what to say. She strangely felt calmer in the face of Akechi’s usual inquiries. Part of her pondered why, but a part of her concluded her close encounter with death made everything else seem petty.

“I don’t know Akechi-san,” she folded her arms. “You tell me.”

He chuckled, “Still avoiding the question, huh.”

“If you were in my position, you’d do the same.” Mira then leaned back against the wire fence, sighing despondently. “Nothing good comes from asking questions.”

“Hm, I disagree,” he said. “I’d like to think questions are the greatest motivator of human civilization. We wouldn’t have come this far if it wasn't the case.”

“Only the ignorant have the privilege to say such frivolous things.”

“You could say that. But my job as a detective demands that I'd be the one to ask the questions and find answers. But I must say, I never took you for a cynic.”

“I’m not,” Mira sighed again. “…At least, I don’t think I am. I just think some truths are a shackle. Once you know things, you are held accountable by your actions. Any sins are heavier once you know what you’re doing is wrong.”

Akechi stared at her intently as he held his chin.

“Forget what I said,” she quickly added, realising her tongue had grown loose around him. Despite her reservations, she couldn’t deny he had a way of making her feel at ease; just like that time at the café on their first formal meeting. “I’m just rambling nonsense.”

“Whatever you say,” he shrugged. “Not that it matters to me, either.”

Silence fell between them, giving her room to ruminate over her cluttered thoughts. With the spring wind nursing her drowsiness, she then sat down on the cold floor, took off her school blazer as she leaned against the fence. Mira then blanketed the fabric over her as she curled her body, ready to take a quick nap for the rest of the lunch hour.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“I’m tired,” she said, curling her body into a ball as she leaned against the fence. “Please do not disturb me for ten minutes.”

“Aren’t you acting a little too defenceless?” his voice sounded confused. “Sleeping out in the open?”

“I trust your princely chivalry, so I don’t think I should be too worried,” Mira said sleepily.

“…Wouldn’t the nurse’s office-”

“No.”

“Isn’t that a little too uncomfortable-”

“This is fine.”

She took a peek at the student detective, who’s expression looked more helpless and confused than what she had expected. Closing her eyes, she languidly said; “It’s only ten or twenty minutes. I’ll wake up when lunch ends.”

Mira knew it was rude to fall asleep in the presence of someone else. But knowing what was to come later in the day, she’d might as well make the most of it. Such was her thoughts before she fell into a light slumber.

* * *

Goro didn’t know what Saito was thinking.

_Is she an idiot?_

Even he knew he was the last person she ought to trust. If she had convinced herself this princely façade of his was his genuine personality, he’d be sorely disappointed in her. Especially since he let himself slip his mask off on occasion in her presence. Either the girl was surprisingly dense, or wilfully ignorant. It was hard to tell, since the few times they conversed, it usually ends with her leaving the argument on her own volition.

Upon closer inspection, he realized her eyelids were leathery and worn-out; evident of her lack of sleep. Seeing her curled up, her shoulders rising and falling on an even pace gave him the impression she must have reached an unspoken limit.

_Mira Saito. What secrets are you hiding?_

At any rate, this could be a golden opportunity to find out all there is to know about who she is affiliated with. Now, normally, he wouldn’t cross a person’s personally space; at least, not without a warrant. All he needed to know was whether or not she has the app on her phone.

He crouched down beside her, making certain if she wasn’t pretending to sleep as a new tactic to avoid his questions.

“Saito-san?” he said in a low voice.

“…”

_She’s out._

Just to make certain he was right; he lightly poked her shoulder. The sleeping girl shifted her body, and with it, her phone conveniently fell out of her skirt pocket.

“…”

Goro was beginning to suspect there was something entirely wrong with this set up. Saito, the invisible 3rd year of class B with a questionable nightlife. Who, after months of making an effort to evade his presence, suddenly decided to sleep in front of him? Not to mention, the one device he wanted from her was right there on the floor; begging to be taken.

_Is she testing me?_

It was difficult to tell if her wit was sharper than her appearance, for there was so little that he knew of her. It was possible she might be doing this on purpose; testing him to see how he’d react. At the same time, he debated at his own reasoning. He didn’t take her for a dull-wit. After all, Higure Academy is one of the top 20 schools of the country and offers a guaranteed transition into a partnered university. But he found it equally possible he might be overthinking things, and that Saito was actually incapable of crafting schemes.

Just as he thought of those things, her phone screen lit up with a message written in the universal English alphabet.

_‘Inokashira Park’_

He squinted at the letters before the screen turned black.

Saito’s slumbering form languidly curled into a tight ball, resting her cheek on her knees as if to protect herself. It was almost amusing to watch, seeing her sleep in such an unusual position, had it not been for a small lingering doubt in his mind.

_‘Any sins are heavier once you know what you’re doing is wrong.’_

Goro would have to admit it bothered him; especially since it came from a girl who knew next to nothing about his deeds. Based on her words alone gave him the impression her circumstances might have mirrored his. Either that, or his interpretation was a mere projection on his part.

He then sat beside her on the cemented floor.

“What do you know, I wonder?” he said quietly.

The student detective never denied, only to himself, at least, that he did enjoy the attention and a few shallow praises from the public. To some degree, any fan’s attention garnered him a sense of validation of his own existence. But. After all the talk shows; the thousands of likes on his posts; love letters and confessions; there was always a lack of human connection. At times, he reminded himself that not everyone can easily be pleased, or that he can’t please everyone. He knew that, but the line drawn in the sand between him and others bore a silent void. Even his own ‘father’, who praises him for results threatens him if things went south.

Saito, too, drew that line almost immediately. But in this case, he was merely after results and not some good company from her. That is, until he saw the bruises on her neck.

_Speaking of-_

He looked over to his sleeping classmate. From where he sat, her neck was covered with her blazer. Maybe, the truth is she was scared. Or maybe her entanglement with this ominous group found the means to tie her down and use her against her own will. But in the end of the day, these ideas are no more than a hypothesis. Since the last time he confronted her, all leads ended right then and there. Not a trace of their presence was found as he followed what little ashes of evidence were left of them. It was already difficult enough to find the time to investigate between his duties and delving into the cognitive world. With the lack of pieces in his possession, it’s too soon to draw out definite conclusions.

Goro eyed her device, as a small prick of curiosity came to mind.

 _Pardon the intrusion,_ he said inwardly as he picked up her phone.

Turning the screen on, he noted the device demanded the owner’s fingerprint to unlock its device. He mused at the detail, further profiling Saito as the overly cautious type. At the very least, the message on her lockscreen informed him enough of what to look out for.

“…Fourth- shelf…” Saito murmured.

“Hm?”

The sleeping girl’s fingers curled tightly around her skirt, enough for her nails to ruin the woven strands that make up the fabric. Just in case Saito would stir herself awake, Goro immediately put the phone back to where it laid earlier. Sure enough, she sucked in a long breath before she slowly lifted her head up, a few umber strands stuck to her cheek. Her weary eyelids opened with a fatigued frown on her lips.

“Welcome back-”

She flinched at the sound of his voice, apparently startled by his presence. Goro found her jittered reaction entertaining.

“Are you always this startled by every little thing?” he teased.

Saito’s face soured and huffed before she reached for her phone beside her. As she lazily unlocked her phone with her finger, she gave out another tired sigh and buried her forehead on her knees.

“Five more minutes,” she groggily said.

“How about heading over to the nurse’s office,” he proposed. “There’s no point trying to sleep in an uncomfortable position.”

“It takes seven minutes to get to the nurse’s office,” she murmured into the fabric. “Then another three to five minutes to explain myself why I need to use the bed. If negotiating with the nurse goes through, by the time I hit the bed, I’ll end up staying awake for two minutes. And by that time, Lunch hour would have ended.”

“In other words, you can’t be bothered.”

“…”

Seeing her in such a state was terribly amusing; but he wouldn’t dare admit it in front of her. It would be too cruel of him to humiliate her at the expense of her misfortune.

“Go ahead and laugh if you want,” she grumbled. “I’m too tired to care.”

“I said no such thing,” he said resolutely.

She lifted her head, turning towards him, “…You’re not going to ask?”

“No,” Goro shrugged. “It’s not my business, anyway. That is, unless you’re willing to tell me.”

She made another tired sigh. “And here I thought you’re here to bombard me with trick questions.”

“Not really. I’m only here to compose myself. You just happened to be here.”

“Looks like the rooftop’s a popular spot for shady individuals to unwind.”

The detective scoffed, “Not mincing words today, Saito? Why the sudden change of heart?”

She tilted her head up to the sky, closing her eyes before she replied; “I’ve long accepted the reality that no matter how hard I try, I don’t have the charisma to change people’s minds. No matter what I say, nothing will change. So, I’d might as well let loose, even if it’s only for a day.”

It was rare of her to speak so openly about herself, knowing how little they knew about each other. He cautioned his words, not really knowing what to expect if he attempted to pry into her business. “Did something- happen, by any chance?”

“…I almost died,” she casually said.

“Huh?”

“Just kidding,” his classmate quickly added. “I’m just tired. I don’t have the energy to act timid or reserve, so I’m just spouting nonsense.”

Hearing those words, he doubted that last part was true. Nevertheless, her words piqued his interest; “Is that really the case?”

Saito hugged her knees, resting her chin on her arms. “…My superior wants to see you.”

_Huh?_

“She found out you were onto us. I had no choice but to tell her everything, so, now she wants to see you. Isn’t that nice? In the end, everything seemed to work in your favour.” -Her eyes narrowed, staring at the ground- “…I can’t guarantee what will happen after this.”

He should have felt a little elated at the news; but the way Saito delivered it had an ominous air around it. He lowered his head and held his chin, spreading out what little facts he gained from their previous interactions. Based on the many times she told him to stay away, he knew, this was a turning point.

“…Akechi-san?”

“Hm?” her voice brought him out of his reverie.

Her face grew a little agitated; “…This is my last warning to you. If you truly want to know, come and meet me after school. But- if you don’t…”

“-I think I’ve made myself clear, Saito,” he interjected. “There’s no need to repeat the same lines.”

Saito’s frown soured further. “So stubborn.”

“I aim to please,” he made a small mock bow. “What else is there to know about this group you’re associated with?”

“It’s better to hear it from them than from me,” Saito tilted her head to face him. “They already organized a place for a meeting. Normally, their usual M.O. is catching people off-guard before being sent to be interrogated, but I realize it’d be easier to tell you. Since- this is what you wanted to find in the first place.”

“I’m honoured,” he smirked. “Even at the face of your potential foe, you seem so adamant in being considerate of me.”

“Despite your assumptions, Akechi-san, we are all on the same side. We all want peace for the betterment of this world.”

Goro sneered inwardly. _If only you knew._

“And how can you be so certain, Saito? What makes you so sure my goals align with yours?”

Saito unfurled her limbs and stood up as soon as the bell conveniently rang.

Goro too stood up and stretched his limbs. “If you’d like, we can continue our discussion at the end of the day.”

“-I take it you’ll agree to see them?” she asked.

“Of course, I wouldn’t miss it for the world, Saito.”

His classmate made one last glance at the scenery below before she muttered something inaudible to herself.

**Afterschool**

Mira stood a few feet away from the small group of Akechi’s fans. The enthusiasm these girls had over him was almost admirable, in a way that she couldn’t fathom their line of thinking. Her other occupation trained her to take every person’s public image with a grain of salt, conditioning her to be aware that there’s always another side to someone. Which was exactly why, she could never relate to someone who puts others they barely knew on a high pedestal.

In the corner of her eye, she recognized one of her classmates tugging another girl by the arm.

“Come on, Hana-chan, now’s your chance!” said her classmate.

“No~!” the other girl whined. “It’s too embarrassing!”

“There’s no better time like the present. So, get out there and give him the gift.”

 _Tsukino…Lily-san right?_ Mira could only assume the other girl was her friend. It was easy remember the names of everyone in her class.

The insider’s gaze fell to the ground, debating on herself on whether this was ever the wisest decision they’ve ever made. Having thought of Akechi as a lost cause at this point, the only thing she could do now was to brace herself for whatever outcome this meeting could lead.

“Did you wait too long?” Akechi said mildly.

She shook her head, then eyed his fans dispersing into different directions. Mira was in no mood for small talk. She just wanted to get things done and over with.

Silently, she tilted her head, signalling him to follow her lead. All the while when they changed their shoes and walked on the road to Nagatacho station, silence permeated between them. It was almost as if she were escorting him to his death march.

After a while, Akechi was the first to speak.

“How’s the neck?”

“Hm?”

“In our last exchange, you were injured,” his finger pointed at his own neck.

“I’m fine,” she said. “That was nothing.”

“Huh,” her classmate didn’t look convinced.

“Really,” Mira insisted, clutching the strap of her bag as she did. “I have a high pain tolerance. It healed up fast, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

“The more you try to convince me, the more I suspect you’re only making senseless excuses,” he said casually.

“Your stubborn insistence of certain facts is something I should be more concerned about,” she retorted. “Your conclusions about me so far have been far off.”

“Speculations, Saito, not conclusions,” he corrected. She soured at the drop of the honorific to her name. “I’m merely grasping small kernels of truth to formulate a deduction. If I’m wrong, then I’ll accept that fact.”

Mira scoffed. If anything, he struck her as someone with a little more pride in himself to admit defeat.

“I have to say though, Saito,” he added. “I prefer you this way than that timid act of yours.”

“I doubt that,” she muttered to herself.

“Honesty is one of the few qualities I value more in any person. Especially now since I’ve joined the investigation unit.”

A part of her wanted to rebuke him; correct him that she was anything but honest. But after a sleepless night, she kept her mouth shut, afraid of saying words she might come to regret in the near future.

_I’m sorry, Akechi-san. But everyone says that about others until they find out their views don’t align with others._

Upon their arrival at Kichijoji station, Mira stopped Akechi and led him into one of the seats. Taking off her bag off her shoulder, she put it down, pulled out her over-sized parka and raised it to her classmate.

“What’s this for?” he asked.

“It’ll be bad if people recognized you in this area, so this is merely a precaution,” she explained. “It is the Hanami season, after all.”

Taking the jacket from her, apprehension laced in his words; “If standing out was the issue, it would’ve been ideal to head over to a less conspicuous area.”

“If you want to hide a tree, plant it in a forest,” she answered. “It’s easier to hide in a crowd than standing around in an isolated area… There’s that, then there are other reasons.”

The truth was, a few members of her team really wanted to go and see the Hanami festival and merely used this meeting as an excuse. Despite Mira’s respect towards her superiors, even she thought it was the most ludicrous decision they’ve ever made.

“Inokashira Park, huh,” he concluded. “You know, Saito-san, if you wanted to take me out on a date, you could have asked me directly.”

Mira gave him a sour frown. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.”

Akechi chuckled at her words before he unbuttoned his jacket in favour of wearing her black one, pulling the hood over his head. Unsurprising, it was a little loose on him.

 _‘Even if it was just once,’_ she recalled someone else’s words. _‘Even if you won’t remember me. At least remember to keep this jacket in your care.’_

Her classmate then hung his own jacket on the arm that didn’t carry his suitcase. Mira tied her hair up into a practical bun and removed her uniform blazer. She took off the ribbon around her neck and pocketed it to obscure which school she hailed from. As soon as she was ready, she promptly slung her bag over her shoulder and proceeded towards their destination.

It came to no surprise to find the park filled with people heading over to the flower viewing area. Pink and white petals scattered across the pathways, floating and fluttering in the air and onto the surface of the water. With the Hanami festival in session, small booths gathered to one area of the park. A few office workers hung around the seats and the matted floor, nursing their cups and cans of liquor. A street flautist played their tune, accompanied with the huddles of murmurs and laughter in the air. It was unsurprising to see a handful of foreigners as well, carrying their phones and cameras to capture the view.

Even in the midst of the dimly-lit park, the scenery still looked beautiful in Mira’s eyes. The sight of crowds wore out her fatigue, but remembered she still had a job to do.

“Where did you say we were supposed to meet?” Akechi asked.

“Follow me,” she tilted her head to cross the bridge.

Having spent the entire journey in silence, she was a little surprised how cooperative her classmate was. If it turns out he decided to double cross her into a trap, any SGI veteran would have anticipated it. Eventually she came to a halt by the riverside and waited.

A small crunch of dirt from behind had the insider to glance over her shoulder. There, two black cladded figures stepped into her vantage. As the sky grew dark, beneath their hoods, their skin emitted a faint glow.

“To think this whole matter would be this easy.” That baritone voice could only belong to none other than Thomas. The agent pulled the hood back to unveil his face. “And here I thought it’d take you another hour for you to drag this guy here.”

Mira glanced at Akechi, who grew sombre in the presence of her superiors. The other who stood next to him was Tinders.

“Goro Akechi, I take it,” Tinders tugged her hood back.

“I am Goro Akechi, yes,” the detective nodded. “I’ve been told you wanted to see me.”

“It’s unfortunate, but current circumstances demand that we follow the proper procedure in how we do things,” her superior said. “We’re going to need you to come with us.”

She knew where things were heading. Mira should have anticipated this. But even so, she couldn’t stop the small embers of guilt tingling at her nerves. She lowered her head, clutching her sleeve as she waited for Akechi’s response.

“And where exactly are you taking me?” he asked.

“Somewhere where we could speak in private.”

In her periphery, she saw Akechi swallowed nervously before Tinders. The lieutenant’s aura felt a little more intense, exerting her authority with one intimidating look. Mira had long been told of the exploits of Linda Tinders; the superior officer had a distinguished reputation among the SGI’s inner circles. She was branded as ‘the Amazon’ due to her formidable skills in combat and intimidation towards her foes. Though Mira has yet to see the full brunt of her wrath, the insider prayed Tinders wouldn’t go so far as to break Akechi in the midst of this.

* * *

After they had escorted the detective into one of Tokyo’s abandoned districts, her two superiors conducted their interrogation in an empty building. As part of her punishment for not informing them of Akechi’s suspicions, Mira was barred from taking part of it. Instead, she was posted at the building’s entrance to make sure no one followed them all the way there.

And so, the insider stood adjacent to the building’s pillar, her tired nerves on high alert at what was to come. In many ways, Akechi posed no threat to their team; just a nuisance that needed to be dealt with as soon as possible. But after the strange coincidence of their team assigned to investigate the psychotic incidents conveniently eliminated the option of removing the detective out of the picture.

_I need to get my head out of this. Don’t waver at your resolve._

With her left ear plugged and her radio on standby, she took out her phone to review the data she uncovered from Shujin Academy. As she scrolled through her app list, her eyes fell towards an odd-looking app.

It bore a red icon of an eye with a star iris.

_This… looks awfully familiar._

She couldn’t recall where she saw this icon before, but something about it felt reminiscent to her little misadventures within ‘Mementos’. Perhaps it was due to the danger red and the black lines that outlined its shape.

Her finger was about to touch the screen until-

 _“Gemma, come inside. We need you here,”_ Thomas buzzed on the radio.

She retracted her phone back into her pocket.

“I’ll be there,” she said.

The insider hurried her steps, surprising herself at the sudden urge to run towards their location. Upon reaching the area, she was met with Thomas leaning against the doorframe.

“What’s happened?” she said as coolly as possible.

He pushed himself off the surface and stepped aside, gesturing for her to enter. Upon entering, Tinders stood five feet away from her classmate; her arms crossed, her hand clenching her phone. Akechi on the other hand remained seated, sombre and silent.

Tinders handed her phone over to Mira; “It’s for you.”

At the sight of her grandfather’s name on the phone, she realised why her superior wore a glowering expression.

“Saito,” she said as soon as she pressed the phone against her ear.

 _“Good work,”_ that familiar rasp in his voice was enough to heighten her nerves. _“It’s quite unexpected of you to draw the attention of none other than a political celebrity.”_

“Uh,” she nodded, cueing her grandfather she was listening.

_“How is school life going for you?”_

“I’m doing alright.”

_“Have you acquainted yourself with some new friends?”_

“I haven’t.”

 _“I see,”_ her grandfather hummed. _“Based on the reports I’ve received from Lieutenant Tinders, you seemed to be doing well in your current operative. -Well, minus the small hiccup you made. But I trust whatever happens from here on out, you are responsible for your actions while getting involved with that detective over there.”_

Mira glanced over Akechi and frowned.

“Oji- Sir, you can’t mean-”

 _“I realized,”_ he interjected. _“That my second son’s words must be bleeding out of your ears by now, am I right?”_

“…That-”

_“Perhaps it’s time I let you make your decision. By the end of the year, if you’re able survive that long; I will grant you permission to take part of the second officer’s test. That is all.”_

The call ended with those last words, leaving Mira to take his words apart to process them.

_By the end of the year?_

It bothered her why he sudden changed his mind, while giving her a workable timeframe to meet his conditions. She ought to be happy with it, but something about it felt unsettling.

She turned to Tinders and silently handed the phone back. The lieutenant’s glower softened at her; “We’ll discuss the current status quo once we head back. For now, I’ll leave you two to talk.” -her threw a sharp look at her classmate- “And don’t forget of our agreement, Akechi-san.”

_‘Agreement?’_

Mira turned to her classmate, who’s face ashen at the mere sight of Tinders. Never had Mira seen Akechi wear such a terrified look on his face. As soon as the lieutenant left the area, Akechi gave a long sigh of relief, followed by a mirthless chuckle.

“To think all this time, I’ve stumbled into a true-to-life secret organisation,” he scoffed. “One that specialize in keeping their tracks so hidden in this day and age.”

She couldn’t say anything. The fact that no white-coat member was present in the room told her what the outcome was.

“Three options, huh,” he added. “Elimination; having my memories erased; or a temporary collaboration… You weren’t joking with what you said earlier.”

“…What was the agreement?”

“Apart from keeping my silence, I am to cooperate with you in the investigations. What else, Saito? Did you think I’d choose to have my memories removed? I’m more surprised they’ve granted me the freedom to choose.”

She should have expected this. She knew it would happen. Yet, even so-

“You... YOU IDIOT!” Mira screamed, stunning her classmate. “Why would you choose to cooperate? Did they not inform you the nature of this mission? Do you not see? There’s a bigger, monstrous world out there. Things in this world that surpass human logic- and getting involved- getting involved will mean putting your life on the line with no rest, no guarantee it will never end! IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT?!”

Akechi’s eyes were left agape at her outburst, apparently lost for words.

Before she could understand her own emotions, her vision began to blur with her tears.

 _Shoot, why now?_ She furiously wiped her tears away.

“S-Saito? Why are you-”

“I’m so… tired. I’m so tired of all of this,” she sniffled. “How am I supposed to… Everything you thought you knew- everything that should be normal… won’t ever be the same. And yet…”

_Why does nothing go the way I-_

**_‘Deny it all you want,’_ **

An inner voice said.

**_‘But the only option is to accept it. Is that not why you called upon my name?’_ **

The first thing that came to Mira’s mind was the giantess she saw back in Mementos. She didn’t know why; but the thought of that flower-faced giant was enough for her to swallow those bitter words.

All the while as she thought of this, Akechi took a step forward, removed the jacket he borrowed from her and threw it over her shoulders. At the sudden veiled warmth, she stopped midway from rubbing her wrist to her eyes.

“…Here,” he dug into his pocket and offered her his handkerchief. “Use this.”

Awkwardly, she accepted the folded piece of cloth and wiped the saltwater from her eyes.

A stifling silence fell between them as every passing second made her feel embarrassed over her sudden outburst.

“You’ve got it all wrong, Saito,” his voice was now lower and more controlled. “Isn’t this just you, projecting about yourself and your regrets?”

Mira blinked.

“Maybe the truth is,” he continued. “You never wanted to take part of this organisation, but for reasons I don’t understand, you chose to remain in it. Despite all your misconceptions, I’m well prepared for any risks. I’ve fought enough ‘monsters’ in this world to know there’s more to the world that meets the eye. Don’t be so full of yourself and assume I’m incapable of handling something so trivial as this.”

_This guy-_

That was enough for her to break out of that uncomfortable atmosphere. She hated to admit it, but those words hurt more than what she had anticipated.

“Tch,” she clicked her tongue. “Dammit Akechi, you don’t even know what you’re in for. Don’t act so cocky that you’d be able to handle this.”

What followed was something even more unexpected. Despite the few chortles and scoffs he displayed before her, for the first time, Akechi laughed with a smile she could only interpret as his genuine one. Not the charismatic detective smile, nor his cynical one. But one that reflected a small glimpse of another side he never showed in public.

“-What’s so funny?” she pouted, suspecting he found her words somehow amusing.

“Oh no, it’s nothing,” he said, wiping a tear off his eye. “It’s just that, one moment you said you didn’t care, then cried over me, then reprimanded me all on the same day. At this rate, it seems that there will never be a dull moment with you around, Saito.”

Mira soured at the distinct detail of him making it clear he was never going to attach that honorific to her name.

“Actually, you know what?” Give me back my tears,” she said at the height of her irritation. “It was stupid of me to worry about you, Akechi.”

With those words alone brought the detective to laugh even harder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update status as of 22/08/2020 in case someone missed it on the housekeeping chapter:  
> I'm back to Uni, I've got assessments and I am suddenly swamped with work. I will keep pursuing this project, but the process of rewrites will be slow from here on out.
> 
> I will be working on this fic when I get the time (or when I'm procrastinating I guess) so updates are gonna be irregular. Thank you for your patience.


	11. Chance Encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited chapter updated at 28/08/2020  
> Not much is changed, apart from a few details.

**April 13 20XX**

**Early Morning**

“So… tell me again, why is Mira-chan suddenly Akechi’s assistant?”

On the breakfast table, William, Cobe and Thomas were having their share of the morning meal while Chamomile handled Mira’s make-up.

“Since Goro Akechi agreed to Linda’s terms, he asked a favour and have her pose as his assistant,” Thomas answered, taking in a spoonful of yogurt. “The guy’s sketchy, but I trust my judgement on his detective instinct.”

“It’s a good plan,” William pointed. “Saito becomes our eyes and ears on the breakdown incidents; we go ahead and focus on the anomaly fragments.”

“But then, we also have another problem in our hands,” Cobe said solemnly.

“Mementos,” Mira muttered.

Everyone fell silent, as they contemplated on Mira’s report on her small misadventure.

“The world of the collective unconscious, huh,” Thomas held his chin. “And you said that anomaly manifested into a physical form in Mementos, Mira?”

“Yeah,” she nodded as she clenched the fabric on her lap. “I don’t know what to make of that world, but something about it felt… wrong. Like it shouldn’t even be there.”

“While we’re on the subject,” Chamomile tilted her head. “How’s schoolwork for you, Mira-chan?”

“Eh?”

“Keeping up with studies?”

“Chamomile, you’re not her mom,” Thomas jeered. “And give her some space, she’s tense as it is.”

“No, I’m fine,” Mira said quickly. “Studies are nothing to worry about.”

“Oh? But isn’t Japanese schools notorious for overworking their students?”

“I’m fine,” she insisted, wondering where her housemate heard of that reputation. “Really.”

Though the truth was the exact opposite to that, her small pride wouldn’t want to let them know how much work she needed to catch up in her studies.

William stood up and carried his dishes to the sink, “I hate to say it, but I don’t see why you should be going to Shujin at this point, now that you’re shadowing that kid. Wouldn’t it be practical to have us pose as a student or staff in that campus instead?”

“I agree with Will,” Thomas chimed in. “Your workload is already bad as it is, managing connections with your current network. Now that the IT company I was assigned to went bankrupt, I’ve got a lighter load than the rest of this team. Sure, everyone’s got shoes to fill, but it doesn’t feel right for you to have this much work while you’re studying.”

“You don’t have to worry about me,” Mira assured them. “But thank you.”

“Ah, before I forget,” Cobe stood up and headed over to where Mira was. “Hold out your hand for me, Mira.”

She opened her hand before him as Cobe planted an object on her palm. As she retracted her hand, she saw a clear, jaggedly cut crystal, messily wrapped with leather cords and tied to a hand-woven string. At its core sparkled a faint, golden glow.

_Wait… this is-_

“Is that a crystalized star?” Chamomile gaped.

“Yes, but not quite so,” Cobe explained. “After you told us what happened and read your report, Reina and I though it would be best for you to be armed with something. In your hands is a piece of my spirit stone. With this stone, it’ll give you a small fraction of power, enough to dispel some of Dark Matter’s corruption. Reina embedded some of her radiance to give it a bit of a boost. It’s not much, but it’s enough power to stave off any fragment’s attacks.”

“What, are you trying to recruit her into the pilgrimage now?” Thomas laughed uncomfortably.

Mira lifted the crystal up to her eye-level. On closer inspection, it resembled an amber stone with a small flame trapped inside.

“It’s pretty,” the insider said.

“I must warn you however, to use this only when it is necessary. There’s a limit to how much an unendowed could handle with this power. Even more so for Northerners who have no immunity to powerful influences.”

Chamomile looked at Cobe admonishingly. “Is it even okay for her to carry that thing around? A pilgrim’s crystal infused with a star’s radiance is as potent as a Molotov cocktail.”

 _A Molotov cocktai-!_ Mira couldn’t help but look at the albino incredulously.

“Don’t worry,” he shrugged. “I trust her. She’s seen enough of how I do things to understand the basics of handling stray fragments.”

“Ah geez, just what are we doing, influencing a minor into these things,” Thomas scratched his head.

“It is, as some Northerners call it, ‘a necessary evil’, is it?” The albino said thoughtfully. “After all, out of all of us, William and Mira are the only unendowed members of our team. She could at least carry with her some counter-measure to dispel any potential threats.”

The golden Starcatcher inhaled sharply, “I don’t know. Sounds pret-ty dangerous to me.”

Mira eyed the stone, her fingers traced its cool, jagged surface. Without a second thought, she tied the ends of the string together and formed a make-shift necklace to hang around her neck. “I promise I’ll take care of it.”

* * *

Like any other normal workday, the carriages were packed. After having that freak encounter with Mementos, Mira made certain to sharpen her senses each time she entered the train station.

As Thomas and William brought up, there was no need for her to visit Shujin this soon. But a part of her wanted to double-check on some of the data she had collected from the faculty office. Two times in a row, the name Kamoshida was dropped from the fragment victims. Not to mention, after looking over the data she collected, a few elements didn’t seem to add up.

_Either the school secretly enforces a degree of corporal punishment through students, or this teacher might be responsible for the serial abuses._

What was stranger too, was the idea that a high-end prep school would even go so far as to take in a student on probation. Knowing the inner workings of most prestigious schools, taking in a student with a criminal record was as good as shaving down a school’s reputation.

At the arrival at Shibuya station, passengers pushed and shoved their way out through the seeming tiny doors. After a bit of a struggle, Mira escaped the stuffy carriage and hastened her steps to the Ginza line platform. Upon her arrival, she reviewed Akira Kurusu’s profile on her phone as she waited for the train.

“A student on probation, huh.”

She was quick to turn her head around, startled to see Akechi standing adjacent to her.

_I didn’t notice him at all._

Either he had gotten better at sneaking up to her, or her own senses had grown dull over the past few months. Regardless, the first thing she wanted to do was smack him for startling her, but retracted the thought, knowing they were in public.

“Don’t. Do that. Again,” she pouted quietly.

“Good morning to you too, Saito,” he wore his princely smile as he greeted.

“Dropping formalities again?”

“Why not? We’re going to be working together from now on, so it shouldn’t be surprising.”

She glowered at him, still finding it hard to believe how quickly he was able to adapt to this new arrangement between them. Akechi dismissed her souring expression and made a quick glance at her attire.

“And that doesn’t look like Higure Academy’s pattern beneath that jacket,” he pointed.

“I’m on duty, so I won’t be in class today- wait,” she paused at the realisation; “H-how are you able to recognise me?”

He grinned, pointing at her earbud on her ear. “I’ll confess, it was difficult to figure out at first. But then I remembered you had this habit of wearing one earphone on your left ear. That and your phone model gave it away.”

 _Damn. He’s sharp._ She unplugged her earbud and tucked it into her pocket.

“I have to say,” -he gestured at her make-up- “Seeing you in this is quite amusing to look at.”

“-Does it look bad?”

“On the contrary, it suits you.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn’t utter the words. Her cheeks flared at his compliment.

“How soon will you be able to come to class, Saito?” he casually asked, ignoring the effect he left on her.

“Uh-I,” Mira fidgeted. “Two- three days? I don’t really know. It depends.”

The young detective made a smug grin as if he had accomplished something. “Well then. I’ll be counting on your assistance when the need calls for it.”

He made a small wave of goodbye, heading over to the platform trainline towards Nagatacho.

_Dammit. He’s messing with me._

Like a storm, Akechi makes his presence known to the people around him. Leaving behind an impression that would linger in her mind until her duties call for her attention.

_I should have expected that from the detective prince._

Shaking her head, her eyes averted back to the data at hand until the train arrived on the platform.

**Afternoon**

The insiders made her rounds to her respective associates before she headed over to Shujin Academy. Taking advantage of the school’s volleyball rally event, she thought it would be safe to sneak in without too much trouble.

As she stepped into the school’s building, something felt off.

“-going to the volleyball rally anyway?”

“-ah man, I’d love to get his autograph-”

“-Our volleyball team’s gonna hit the-”

“-see how Sakamoto’s hanging out with that transfer student-”

The school’s ambience felt- strange. Mira couldn’t pinpoint what or why, but the very presence of the entire building felt oppressive. The air was heavier and almost stifling, enough to feel a weight growing in her chest, despite the excited cheers the other Shujin students were wearing.

 _Cobe-san was right,_ her eyes narrowed. _Something’s off with this school._

She headed over to the nurse’s office, expecting Kawaki to be there. Halfway through her strides along the hallway, she spotted Akira Kurusu passing by; his grey eyes keenly looking forward as he walked with his hands in his pockets.

_So this is the infamous transfer student._

Profiling a person’s persona wasn’t really in her nature, but even she couldn’t see how this boy was capable of committing crime. Something about it doesn’t fit his image. The insider didn’t miss the passing whispers among his fellow students that shamelessly spoke of his probationary status.

_I thought prestigious academies would at least have more dignity than to share a student’s private circumstances._

With the little that she knew about school systems, she could at least gander that a school would’ve followed a code of conduct of respecting a student’s privacy and circumstances.

_It doesn’t seem to be the case in this one._

Just as she made a sharp turn towards the stairs-

“-Whadd’ya want?”

She peaked through the corner of her eye. The transfer student stood before two third year students.

“You got something to say?”

“You on the volleyball team?” Kurusu asked.

“So what if I am?” one of the third years retorted.

“Hey, I know this guy. He’s that transfer student who’s been hanging around Sakamoto,” said the other.

“Oh, I get it,” the volleyball member scoffed. “You’re trying to snoop in on Mr. Kamoshida, right? FYI, our volleyball team performs on a national level. Of course, your practices are gonna be tough. Mr. Kamoshida’s dedicated to training us. Don’t believe in everything Sakamoto says.”

“You sure it’s not abuse?”

_Abuse?_

Mira walked over to the closest wall and kept her ears peeled.

“A-as if!” the volleyball member retaliated.

“Hey, we should stop talking to him. What if he loses it and starts attacking us?”

 _Yikes, this guy doesn’t have tact,_ the agent thought.

She hung around a little longer, waiting to see how the conversation unfolds. But in the end Kurusu walked away, checked his phone and climbed over to the next floor.

The insider had two choices; visit Kawaki and try persuading him to open up about the abuses; or, she could follow this person and listen in to gather some intel.

Deciding on the latter, she trailed behind him as he headed up to the first-year level.

Much to her disappointment, she saw how pitiful Kurusu was at intel gathering. Despite his quiet demeanour, he was awfully blunt and straight to the point. Enough for anyone to recoil and make themselves scarce before him.

Mira shook her head pityingly. It was terribly pathetic, to a point of wanting to interfere and do the questions herself.

_Hang on. Maybe if I-_

After another disappointing conclusion, the transfer student appeared dejected. After weighing out the evens and odds, she decided to approach him.

“That went awfully well,” Mira chimed, imitating Thomas’ sarcasm. “If you’re gonna keep going at them so bull-headedly, you’re just gonna keep getting the same results.”

“Huh?” -Kurusu turned around and gaped back at the agent. His eyes widened in recognition- “…The girl on the school entrance.”

“Yup,” she forced a small chuckle. “Glad you remembered me. You really saved my hide back there. So- you want info on the volleyball students, yeah?”

“…Yes?”

“Follow me,” she tilted her head.

She made her strides to the nurse’s office, making a few glances back to make sure Akira Kurusu was trailing behind.

“Why are you helping me?” he asked.

“Oh, just returning a favour,” she casually answered. “I owe you for that incident so I gotta make ends meet. Only for this one time anyway.”

“I didn’t really do much though.”

“A surprisingly meek statement from someone of your reputation,” she glanced back at him. “But I suppose in your perspective it seems that way. But. You’ll never know when something so small might mean so much more to someone else.”

“…” not knowing what to say, he pushed the frames of his glasses up to the bridge of his nose.

Having reached the door to the nurse’s office, she quickly turned around.

“Before we go in,” she said in a low voice. “I’m letting you know now that I can’t give you any guarantees how this will play out. The guy in there’s pretty sensitive, so it might be best you keep your distance. Understood?”

“Right,” he nodded.

Mira opened the door to see there was no one inside, only to see a set of curtains surrounded one of the beds. The agent put a finger to her lips at Kurusu and gestured to have him sit by one of the chairs.

“Kawaki-kun?” she asked.

“That voice- Ayame-san?” she heard Kawaki coming from behind the curtain.

“Yeah, it’s me again,” she headed over to cross the curtain wall. “How are things on your end, Kawaki-kun?”

Kawaki sat on the bed, keeping himself busy with his phone. Next to him was his school bag, a few notebooks and a textbook scattered across his bed. She dragged a chair to sit by his bed side.

“Nothing too bad,” he said, his eyes reflecting a hint of melancholy. “I- just wish I wouldn’t be such a coward though.”

She nodded at his words, cautiously waiting for him to speak. The trauma from the abuse and the bullying appeared to have chipped away his confidence; affecting the way he socialized in his classes. As Kawaki explained it, the school would count on his attendance if he showed his face at school, but couldn’t care less if he spends his class time in the med bay.

“I’ve been… doing my best though,” he added. “I did manage to head to one class yesterday- though, I still get stares from my classmates…”

“At least that’s progress,” she smiled. “It’s a pity you turned down my offer though.”

“Sorry, Ayame-san,” he said. “But this is me doing my best not to run away. Even though I’m kicked out of the team, I won’t let lose. I’ll show everyone I won’t back out- and maybe… one day, I’ll show that bastard I’m not some pansy who’ll give in.”

As soon as he said thouse words, he immediately blushed, embarrassed at his own outburst.

“Ah- sorry. I kinda got carried away,” he murmured.

“No, I think it’s admirable,” she assured him. “I’m sure Tsubaki-san would be happy for you.”

 _Well, Tsubaki-san, looks like he’ll be doing okay._ If there was one thing she admired in others, it was their ability to self-assert in the things they want and the things they do.

“Ne, Kawaki-kun,” she began. “I’m going to ask you this one more time, but if it’s too uncomfortable, you don’t have to. Who’s responsible for the abus-”

“-It was Kamoshida.”

She leaned back on the chair’s backrest. Behind the curtain, she heard a small shuffle on shoes on the floor.

“You’re here to investigate about the injured students in Shujin, yeah?” -he made an anxious pause- “-Tsubaki told me about it when I asked about you.”

Her face fell, narrowing her eyes. “That’s right. Which is why I need your full cooperation to get to the bottom of this.”

With her prompting, Kawaki slowly unfurled his account. Informing her how the gym teacher Kamoshida sabotaged the school’s PE curriculum to be centred around volleyball. How the boy’s part-time job as a cosplayer was leaked among the entire student body. How he was openly humiliated by his team and his class about it. All the while as he recounted the events, tears and micro episodes of hyperventilation came between words. Mira had to stop him before his panic attacks worsened. At the end of his tale, Mira urged him to rest; silently apologising as she asked him if he needed anything. When he had finally calmed down, she hesitated the following words;

“Thank you, Kawaki-kun, for telling me this. I know how hard it was to tell me this.”

“It’s nothing-” he muttered. “But is it enough? I don’t know how telling you this will help.”

“No. Telling me is more than enough help. I’ll do what I can on my part, so rest easy, Kawaki-kun.”

**Afterschool**

The p.a. com declared the end of the volleyball rally, marking the end of classes. Akira Kurusu received a message from Ryuji, telling him to meet over at the courtyard before he could break the news of the leads he found.

By the vending machine corner, the strange girl ‘Ayame’ sat by the bench, taking a sip from her can of juice. The girl looked less energetic now, grimacing at her apparent disgust.

“I swear,” she scoffed. “This school is messed up.”

Akira couldn’t pin it, but something about her presence felt out of place in the school setting. She didn’t stick out like his classmate Ann Takamaki, but her attitude didn’t fall in line with the school’s atmosphere. He wouldn’t say it aloud, but he had always been a good judge of character; and seeing her going out of her way to assist him was strange.

“Why did you help me?” he asked again, instinct told him to be cautious.

“I told you, didn’t I?” the girl answered. “I owe you.”

“That wasn’t what I heard from your conversation. You were investigating the volleyball team?”

“On behalf of a friend,” she threw the can into the bin. “I suspected something was wrong, thinking a big shot student was responsible for beating up a couple of sports club members. Turns out that teacher was to blame for this mess.” -The girl stretched her limbs before she faced him- “Better question, though. How did you figure out Mr. Kamoshida was responsible for the abuse?”

He swallowed hard. What could he say? One day, he found himself inside a castle where Kamoshida was the king? Or that the castle was a manifestation of his distorted desires? Even if he told her, there’s no way she’d believe him.

“I was at a castle,” he answered, expecting her to dismiss it.

“Castle, huh,” she put her hand on her cheek. “That doesn’t explain everything, though. What, so this castle has something to do with Kamoshida or something?”

That was unexpected.

“It was a joke,” he quickly added.

“Pity,” -she let her arms hang to her sides- “Though that doesn’t really answer my question. Ah well. If you don’t want to, that’s fine. Oh! Where are my manners. I’m Ayame Takahashi.”

“Akira Kurusu.”

“So, Kurusu-san. What’s in it for you, asking about Mr Kamoshida? Of course, I’d understand if he did something to you specifically, but you don’t look the part of a sports club member. Normally, people would brush off problems like these under the rug and pretend it never happened. They’d usually go ‘oh that’s terrible’ and walk on by while avoiding the suspect like a plague.”

 _What a strange question._ Either he was the odd one out in the world, or that this girl had gotten used to the callous atmosphere to say such things. It perplexed him that the assumed immediate response was to ignore something as sick as what Kamoshida was doing.

“It’s just something I can’t ignore,” he answered.

“…I see,” she nodded. “Well, I guess not all is lost in this school.”

On one hand, he was grateful she didn’t have an aversion towards him, considering the stigma on his back as a criminal on probation. But the fact that she didn’t act like other students seemed too good to be true. Almost as if he was looking at an outsider looking in.

He heard a phone vibrate, to which Takahashi then pulled her phone from her pocket. She looked at the screen and frowned.

“I have to go. If I stay any longer, I’ll be in trouble.” She then beamed a smile at him. “Well, it was nice talking to you Kurusu-san. Until next time.”

The girl then ran off without waiting for his reply, only to halt and retreat her steps back to him.

“Ah! Before I forget,” she huffed. “For Kawaki’s mental state, it’s best not to corner him about the abuse. The trauma from Kamoshida’s abuse caused him to have a few lapses of memory loss. Even if he testified, I doubt anyone would rely on the word of someone with that sort of condition. Whether or not the school could address the issue is an entirely different matter.”

Akira frowned. “Then who else can testify for the abuse?”

“My advice? Try the current volleyball team members. With any luck, someone might eventually break out to rat the guy out.”

Takahashi then disappeared into the corner.

It took him a few seconds to realise, that by taking her words into consideration; effectively, he was back to square one. Just when he thought he gained some ground to work with, it turned out to be useless.

_I should have at least asked for her chat ID._

Whoever Takahashi was, she seemed to know more than either him or Ryuji on what was happening in this school.

Without a doubt, Ryjuji’s not going to be happy with the current results.

* * *

**Hey guys.**

**I have a small treat for you:**

****

**It's just a rough sketch on how Mira looks like.**

**Enjoy.**


	12. A case

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited chapter updated at 30/08/2020

_GORO: there’s a case. Meet me at Shibuya central._

_SAITO: already?_

It took ten minutes for Saito to reply after he sent her the text. Goro waited by the railings by the Buchiko statue, ignoring the few glances that passed him by.

_GORO: what did you expect? Moonlighting as a detective isn’t just for show, you know. I get called in for other cases apart from the psychotic breakdowns._

_SAITO: …wait. Please don’t tell me this isn’t related to the psychotic breakdowns or the anomaly fragments._

He smirked at the agent’s reply. He could already imagine her soured expression after reading his text.

_GORO: I won’t tell you._

_SAITO: I can’t believe you._

_GORO: see you at Buchiko statue._

The detective switched his screen off, pocketing his phone. A part of him wanted to bully her for that all the trouble she put him through. But it wouldn’t be fair on her part, after all, it was his fault for getting involved.

* * *

_“Count yourself lucky, Goro Akechi,” Saito’s superior glowered. “The admins seemed to be in favour of your recruitment.”_

_Her towering figure exuded a powerful aura, one that could easily overwhelm any monster he encountered within the cognitive world. Goro felt himself shrivel, but his pride wouldn’t allow him to lose before her._

_“I’m honoured,” he felt his voice quiver a little, but did his best to put up a brave front._

_“You should be more wary of your actions from this point on,” Tinders retorted. “One slip about the SGI, the anomaly or anything that has to do with us,” -she drew a line in the air across her neck- “the admin wouldn’t hesitate to axe off any unnecessary baggage. We’ve had cases like you who were unfortunate to cross our path who’d want to use us for their own gain. And don’t even think about pulling the dead-man switch on us. We will eliminate any trace of our presence before anyone blows a whistle.”_

* * *

Goro thought he was prepared for any risks after Saito’s persistent warnings, but nothing could have prepared him for their current conditions. Rather than a collaboration, the entire arrangement was nothing more than a twist in the arm to be subjugated to their whims. He was now walking on thin ice. On one hand, there was Shido; a man willing to toss away any pawn if they’re proven to be unworthy of his encampment. On the other hand, there was the SGI; an organisation said to be capable of eliminating anyone without a trace through unconventional means.

On a positive note, he gained a possible access route to further help him with his plans.

_Here’s hoping they haven’t discovered the cognitive world too soon._

After a while, he saw his classmate coming out of the station in plain clothes, her make-up cleaned off and her hair held up in a ponytail. He bemused at the apparent skills she had, interchanging disguises so seamlessly. And to think this girl was able to hide in plain sight; someone who could easily be overlooked in a crowd.

As soon as her brown eyes met his, she glowered. Saito crossed her arms as she approached him. “I hope this is worth the trouble, Detective.”

“Good evening to you too, Saito,” he smiled, knowing how much she seemed to hate him doing that. “So, this is why it took you thirty minutes to get here.”

“It’s troublesome for people to see me in uniform. Please understand my position, at the very least.”

“Shall we go?” he gestured.

Without another word, she followed his lead as they headed over to walk the crowded streets.

“Are you familiar with this country’s internal affairs, Saito?” he asked.

“Not as well-versed, but enough to know about a few protocols, I’d imagine,” Saito replied. “My rank doesn’t scour intel on politicians unless it’s part of our operative.”

“That’s a surprise. I thought intelligence agencies are expected to have a good grasp of the inner workings of our constitution.”

“Not unless you’re part of the admin or elite agents. I’m a low-ranking insider. Someone who operates as the elite or specialist’s assistant to guarantee the operative’s success. You’d have a better chance seeing me among janitors, security and waitresses than posing as a civil worker.”

“So, there’s a hierarchy within the organisation?”

“No, just divisions.”

The detective spotted his driver waiting inside the car. He gestured to Saito to get in, only for his classmate to make a dumbfounded expression. Upon settling into the back-passenger’s seat, Saito gave him a long stare.

“You- have a driver?” she asked stupidly.

“Well of course,” he laughed. “How else am I able to head over between tv stations and crime scenes on time?”

* * *

They arrived at an abandoned building and already the area was littered with police and safety cones on the road. Stepping out of the car, Akechi dragged his suitcase in hand with Mira following behind.

The agent plugged her left ear, her senses sharpened for any useful intel. Just as the two were about to cross the police tape, the detective notified the police on standby she was accompanying him.

“Explain this to me, Akechi,” she inquired. “Is there a reason why I should be here?”

“Tinders-san asked for access in the investigations involving the psychotic breakdowns, right?”

“Yeah?”

“It would be less conspicuous to have you around for most of my cases rather than just a specific field,” he answered, nodding to a few forensics as he walked past. “That way, people will get used to you while you could get a better grasp on things along the way.”

“-Good point.”

“Oi, kid!”  
The two looked ahead to see a middle-aged man wearing a formal suit approach them. He briefly glanced at Mira before he turned to Akechi.

“Kid, I know you’re living at the height of your youth, but did you have to bring a girl around?” the man said in an overly-familiar way. “This ain’t a show.”

“There’s nothing to worry about, Mitto-san,” the young detective assured him. “This is Mira Saito, a classmate of mine. Saito-san, this is Detective Shinji Mitto.”

“A-ah, pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Mira bowed her head before the senior detective.

“…” Mitto casted a concerning gaze before he turned to Akechi. “Is there a particular reason why you brought her here?”

“She’ll be my assistant for some cases. Saito-san may not look the part, but she’s incredibly sharp when it comes to picking up information.”

_What’s that supposed to mean?_

“Hah, of course,” Mitto scoffed. “All women are good at paying too much attention to the unnecessary details over the bigger picture. Just don’t make her do anything unwarranted.”

The senior detective turned his heel and headed over to the old, crumbling building.

“I should have expected that,” she crossed her arms. “It’s been a while since I’ve heard those tasteless remarks.”

“Hmph,” Akechi smirked at her. “Do forgive him, he’s just a man of his age. No matter how much you’d try and tamper with someone’s head, some things just won’t change.”

“Huh?”

“Shall we go?”  
He didn’t wait for her reply as they entered the building.

The crime scene was within the second floor of the building. Upon setting foot on the floor, an acrid stench wafted to her nose, almost making her gag. She grabbed a handkerchief and covered her nose and mouth. There, a blue plastic sheet covered the body as forensics inspected the perimeter.

The building itself had the barebones of cemented floors and four walls, but the wiring and walls that divide it into rooms were missing. Mira switched to the SGI database to see if they carried any records surrounding their current location.

As it turns out, it was supposed to be a new office building until the company fell into bankruptcy.

_In other words, another failed project left from the financial recession._

The district they were in was a product of the recession, so it wasn’t too surprising.

“-victim was discovered by a squatter, who’s already taken in for questioning,” she overheard from one of the investigators. “The victim’s personal belongings are missing, so we don’t have the means to identify him as of yet.”

That is a problem,” Akechi said. “Although, Mitto-san. I don’t see why I was called in for this case. You already know my jurisdiction only involve cases that concern the SIU’s interests or the psychotic breakdowns.”

“Don’t make me spell it out for ya, kid,” Mitto retorted. “The fact that the victim appears to be a foreigner is already putting pressure on us.”

_Foreigner?_

The insider hesitated to take a step closer. And though her experience as an agent exposed her to many things; her grandfather and uncle never allowed her to take part of operatives that dealt with dead bodies. The sleuth of operatives she took part of were often secure-contain-protect missions as well as a few miscellaneous cases of fraud and scams.

So, she turned her focused around the marked areas, making a few mental notes as she inspected the surrounding evidence. The floor was stained with scuffled shoe marks; black marks that hint of rubber soles that burned on the cement via friction. The trail all lead up to the direction where the body was.

“Who do you belong to?” she asked inwardly at the black stained trail.

She lifted her chin, the bare ceiling exposed corrugated bars caked with rust and cement. She thought nothing of it at first, only to hear a strange flutter close by.

“What was that?” one of the forensics asked.

Apparently, she wasn’t the only one who heard it.

The same fluttering sound came once more, this time, she recognised what it was.

“Is there… a bird’s nest in this floor, by any chance?” she asked.

“Now that you mentioned it,” Akechi paused for a moment as the fluttering became more apparent. “That does sound like a bird flapping its wings.”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t interfere with the crime scene,” Mitto brushed the matter aside and walked over the dead body.

Mira headed over to the source of the noise as the two detectives resumed their work. Staring up at the ceiling, she had her phone light to see if there were any holes. Having worked as an insider for so long, she couldn’t help but wanted to make sure there were no hidden wiretap devices.

One of the few things she noticed was how maintained the building appeared despite it being abandoned. No graffiti on the walls; only a few trifling objects like cardboard and plastic bags littered the corners. Apart from that, there showed no signs of a squatter dwelling within the building for long periods of time.

“You know,” she said aloud. “For an abandoned building, there’s a lack of tags and graffiti on the walls. A building as old as this would have had at least one or two of them on each floor.”

Unsurprisingly, silence reciprocated her words as the detectives continued discussing the victim’s post-mortem. The sight of her classmate unflinching before the lifeless body made her realise; despite what she was exposed to, she was more sheltered from other things in life. How, despite the three times she had been close to death, she was never made to see scenes like this.

As the light glared over the ceiling, something reflected it back. She moved the light again and, on the corner, where the wall touches the ceiling, it refracted.

_Interesting._

The agent looked around, checking for cracks or holes adjacent to the refracting object. It had a diameter of a five-yen disk; small enough to be a lens of an incognito camera.

 _No,_ she shook her head. _It’s too soon to tell if it really is one._

She didn’t want to jump into baseless conclusions and decided to let this detail slide for now and took her steps around the perimeter.

* * *

“-no signs of a struggle either.”

In the corner of his eye, Saito wandered around the area, her head turning from side to side.

_What is she doing?_

“…Some assistant, huh,” Mitto scoffed. “She’s not even looking at the victim.”

“She’s relatively new in this,” Goro assured him. “But I’ll make sure to brief her on this.”

“Minors shouldn’t even be hangin’ around dead bodies, kid,” the veteran then gestured to lay the blue sheet over the body.

The two detectives continued their discourse, making a few conclusive statements and called it a day. Mitto then instructed to have the body sent to the morgue and the rest of the forensic crew packing, leaving him to tend to that wandering classmate of his.

“And what exactly are you doing?” he asked as he approached her.

Saito didn’t answer and continued to flash her light across the dark corners of the ceiling. The wind wafted through the glassless windows, sending the littered trash to tumble across the floor.

“I don’t know if this might be relevant to the investigation,” she finally said, her back still facing him. “But I’m seeing glass markers on the walls. Look up there.”

She flashed her light up to the high corner on the wall. Small disk surfaces reflected the light she flashed.

“This building was supposed to be another office building for K company until the recession hit.” She continued. “For a building that’s more than fifteen years old, it appears to be oddly maintained.”

“Your point?”

“Someone’s being using this building. But it’s a question of who and why. If you look into that, there might be a clue about who the victim is.”

“Even without you telling me, the police would eventually fall into that conclusion,” he stood next to her. “Now that you mentioned it, it does seem odd to have those on a building like this.”

The sound of flapping echoed once more.

“There’s another thing that did bother me,” she added. “We’re hearing those fluttering noises, yes?”

“Yes?” -he paused, then lifted two corners of his mouth when he realised- “No signs of bird droppings.”

“Exactly. We can hear the sound of birds, but there’s no trace of them,” she took a few steps forward, raising the light to the ceiling once more. “I was trying to see if there was a hole for a nest. So far, it doesn’t seem to be the case.”

Goro held his chin, leaning on his left leg. He recounted on the evidence they found alongside detective Mitto’s summary. He knew the best way to push this investigation further was to arrange a few warrants and paperwork to make a formal inquiry.

**Evening**

“I was just thinking about this for a while now. How are you able to get on top of your grades while performing your civil duties, Akechi?”

The two sat by the small ramen stall, waiting for their orders to come. Goro wasn’t picky, but it did amuse him how this was the first time he’s ever been invited over to a meagre ramen stall.

“Like any studious honour student, I keep a diary, create a schedule and dedicate some of my spare time into studying,” he answered. “Why ask?”

“…Just curious.”

“I’m guessing despite your other occupation, you’re actually terrible at managing your time when it comes down to your studies,” he scoffed in amusement.

“You just had to rub the salt on that wound.”

“The more you tell me these things, Saito, I’m more convinced of how clumsy you are in life,” he continued jabbing at her. “It’s honestly surprising how you’re able to survive the Academy for this long.”

“Yeah, me too,” she said mellowly. “Sometimes I wonder why I try though.”

Once their meals were served, they dug into their bowls. It bothered him a little, how Saito often had the habit of saying ominous words, only to drop the subject in the middle of their conversation. After Saito paid for their meals (upon her own insistence), they waited by the main road for his driver to come around to pick them up.

“I’ve just been notified that the traffic’s heavy tonight, so we’ll have to wait a little longer,” he said as soon as he got off the phone.

She didn’t say a word, staring out into the night sky. He followed her gaze briefly to see nothing but the moon and smidges of light against the black background.

“There’s been something… I’ve been meaning to ask,” she said in a daze. “How- even though we’re the same age, you seemed to be used to the sight of dead bodies… how are you not fazed by that?”

Her words surprised him. The way she said those words could only mean-

“Could it be, Saito, that this was your first time seeing one?”

“…I guess.” She fiddled with the strings of her jacket.

He looked at her incredulously and crossed his arms; “And here I thought your line of work would have exposed you to cases like this.”

“You can thank my uncle for that,” she sighed. “There wasn’t an operation I’ve taken part of where he didn’t tamper with to prevent me from dealing with dead bodies. Most cases I was assigned to involve scams, corporations or something along those lines. Of all operations I was part of, there has only ever been three times in my life where I was almost killed. But even that doesn’t count since I’ve never killed anyone, nor have I seen someone die in front of me.”

The way she described it no longer surprised him. Seeing her fumbling with her jacket and not making eye-contact with him made it hard to tell if this was her personality by default, or merely another one of her ‘acts’.

“You’ll have to get used to seeing it, if we’re to continue with this joint venture,” he said mercilessly. “And I’m sure it wouldn’t be good for your career if your uncle will continue to shelter you from those things.”

“Not denying any of that,” she shrugged, then her face mellowed a little. “…What about you?”

“What about me?”

“I mean, it’s no secret that I hauled out your history and everything. But… after reading it, I want to know. What made you pursue this line of work, at such an age?”

“Hmph,” he smiled harshly. “Isn’t it obvious? Call it a personal grudge of mine.”

Seeing that there was no need to hide anything from her, he found no need to hold back on his own opinion. “I told you before, didn’t I? I’ll use whatever means necessary to remove all forms of injustice, no matter the cost. You’ve read my profile, didn’t you? After her passing, I’ve been handed down from one household to another. Each one worse than the last. Each one invested in using me as a source of income. None of that would have happened if it weren’t for my bastard of a father who used her for his own sick ventures. So, I decided to choose this path, as it is the only effective way to exact revenge on him.”

“-But you still see him,” she pointed.

“He never figured out I was his son,” he scoffed at the irony. “Isn’t that a pity?”

She gave him a woeful nod, her gaze now casted down. It was a look he knew far too well; one that looked at him with pity and shallow empathy. Just as he expected her to mirror the words those troublesome neighbours had said, she said;

“That’s- actually admirable of you.”

Saito raised her head, staring at him with a melancholic smile.

“Figuring things out for yourself,” she said confidently. “Fighting your way out of those circumstances while being so sure in what you believe in… That takes a lot out of someone to decide these things. Especially with everything you’ve been through. In fact, I’m a little envious.”

“Huh?” he couldn’t understand her. How is she envious of him and his circumstances?

“I… never have been brave,” she continued. “I’ve always been told what to do. The only thing I’m ever proud of is my convictions and responsibility over my duties. If an operation fails, there are heavy repercussions that follow. But even something like that is just something I borrowed from someone else. I’m still figuring myself out, yet, you on the other hand, already know who you are. That’s why, I’m envious.”

It was strange. Odd, in fact, that out of everyone he’s ever met, never had he thought he’d hear the words he wanted to hear from her. Being acknowledged, rather than being pitied. To be understood without being judged. Being admired for his efforts rather than for the fame and the superficial mask that the public sees. But in the back of his mind, he wondered if her perceptions of him would change if she knew the deeds he did.

It was only then, his driver conveniently arrived, cutting their conversation short.

* * *

As the flurry of city lights passed them, Mira rested her elbow on the door’s handle, propping her chin on her hand.

All that time, she thought she was the only person in the world who had a hard life. Hearing her classmate’s words only made her feel ashamed for such thoughts. She read Akechi’s past like another textbook profile, unable to truly understand the struggles that came with it. Hearing him say those words in person opened a new perspective in the way she interacted with other people.

People like Kawaki, Tsubaki or her teammates. She had only ever seen their situations in a broader picture. An observer who only comes to analyse the scenery, but is unable to grasp the gravity of it.

What right did she have, to compare herself with others?

 _‘Girl of many namesss… who are you?’_ the fragment’s words echoed in her mind.

“…Sometimes I’d like to know that myself,” she muttered inwardly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I looked at the entire P5 timeline (including P5R) and good grief, that's a lot of days to get to.  
> I've been debating over a few decisions regarding what parts to add and which ones not to focus on, since the game's freaking long. It would make more logical sense that there will be key events in the game she'll miss and while other days she'll be swamped with her other duties. The last thing I want is to drag the story but not make it too reliant on the P5 plotline too much.  
> I just want to balance out my original content moments with the actual canon, so let me know if there are areas where it seemed rather unnecessary.  
> If I managed to make this through to the end, I'll definitely edit this fic as a whole... if I ever get the chance.
> 
> Oh, and I never really said anything last time, but, shout out to my lovely readers, kudos, bookmarkers and comment makers. You guys made my day and make it easier to get through everything. So, thank you.
> 
> EDIT 30/08/2020: There's not much to change in this chapter, just a few add ons and details changed. Grammar might still be bad though...


	13. Pilgrim and Starcatcher

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: Implied sexual assault and suicide attempt
> 
> Edited/rewritten update at 1/09/2020

**April 15 20XX**

The girl staggered in her steps.

Unable to cope.

Unable to think.

She felt her body move against her will.

Images of her teacher’s towering figure plagued her mind.

_‘If there was anyone to blame, blame your friend for not submitting to me.’_

Her consciousness split into tethers and shards.

The volleyball member felt cold; the air thin and stagnant despite the warm spring day.

She laboured every step.

_Dirty._

Her clothes on her back felt dirty.

Her body no longer felt like her own.

_Dirty._

Her half-hazed mind broke once more at the mere recollection of it.

Just as daybreak shed its first light, her shadow loomed across the floor, whispering taunting words in her ear;

_‘No one will look at you.’_

_‘Your friend used you to take her place.’_

“…N-no…” she began to sob. “No… it’s not true…”

_‘ShE NeVEr caReD. ShE aBAndONed yoU’_

“No…”

_‘eVEryONe aBAnDONed yoU. AlL your EFfortss hAVe bEEn in Vain…’_

“It’s not true… it’s not-”

_‘NoW ThaT He’S touChEd you. CaN yOU really bRinG youRSelF to ShOW thaT diRtY faCe of yOurs?’_

_‘PooR gIRL. MiSHimA sold yOu ouT. ThERe’S no wAY oF escaPing ThIs…’_

“…”

She crumpled to the ground, her screams inaudible.

**April 16 20XX**

**Afternoon**

Saturdays at Higure Academy often ended in the afternoon, balancing out the students’ schedule with their extra-curricular activities. For Mira, it used to be the perfect opportunity to make her usual rounds of voluntary SGI work. But after everything that’s happened, she wanted to make every minute count inside campus before she could go back to her duties.

“-that girl-”

“-I’ve seen her riding with Akechi-sempai-”

“Are they going out-?”

“Never even knew she was in my class until-”

 _I sure hope this matter will soon die out,_ she thought as she walked the halls with her back hunched.

Her perfectly crafted persona of a quiet invisible girl easily fell apart after being seen with Akechi. Apparently, someone posted on their social media account of an image of her and the celebrity detective walking side by side after being dropped off at Kichijoji station.

How she knew? Chamomile badgered her about it while Cobe was in the middle of instructing her how to use the pendant he gave her.

The last thing she’d want was to be confronted over this by his fans.

“Saito-san, can we talk to you for a minute?”

Two girls in their gym clothes stood before her, Lily Tsukino and the other whom Mira recognised as one of Akechi’s fans. ‘Hana’ or something like that. Tsukino had her hand to her hip while the other girl clutched her friend’s sleeve.

“Lily-chan, let’s not do this-”

Before the fangirl could finish, Tsukino throttled her question;

“Are you going out with Akechi-kun?”

Mira sputtered, “H-huh?”

“Are you or not?”

“No-”

“See, Hana-chan?” Tsukino turned to her friend. “Nothing to worry about. There’s no way Akechi-kun would go out with a plain girl like her.”

 _I agree with you there, 100%,_ the agent found herself nodded before she realised it.

“But! The photos-” ‘Hana-chan’ whined.

“Photos?” the agent said innocently.

“Ah-hahaha… Nothing for you to worry about,” Tsukino brushed off her friend’s words. “Everyone’s just curious why you’ve been hanging around Akechi lately.”

_How do I go about this?_

“…W-well, that…” Mira tugged at a lock of hair. “We just happened to get to know each other better- as friends.”

“Friends?” the two asked in unison.

“…Yeah,” Mira timidly nodded. “Friends.”

“…” Hana gave her a dirty look. “Is that all there is to it?”

“Hana-chan stop it,” Tsukino made a light chop on her friend’s head before turning to Mira. “Sorry, She’s a fan of his for a long time now, so she can get a little sensitive-”

“Lily-chan you traitor!”

“There’s nothing to worry about, you two,” Mira forced a smile. “We happened to bump into each other one day and got along. There’s no deeper meaning behind it.”

The insider did her best to fan out the rumours, parrying every question they asked with vague answers. By the time she was left alone, she headed over to the rooftop to collect her own thoughts.

“That was nicely handled,” Akechi called out from the top of the stairs.

“You saw that, huh.” _It doesn’t surprise me anymore._

“You know how quick they are to respond to things like this,” he waved his phone, revealing the culprit post on his screen. “My manager cornered me about it too. When the original poster took it down, others started posting it on their other accounts.”

“…This isn’t one of your schemes, is it?” the brunette eyed him dubiously.

He raised his hands in the air, “No, I had no hand in any of this, I swear.”

She shook her head and climbed her way to the rooftop.

“I take it you wish to speak with me?” she cocked her head back.

“I just thought you’d want to hear the recent development on the case.”

Akechi revealed that the victim of that night’s case turned out to be a tourist on a one-way trip visit. The police ruled out the cause of death was arsenic poison, as it was revealed during the autopsy. As for the building’s records, the matter itself was put on hold. Tell tales spoke of a rumour that the former owner of K-company killed himself a decade and a half ago after the company’s bankruptcy. Apart from that, there seemed to be no connection between the victim and the company.

As soon as he finished, Mira asked;

“What about the investigation on the psychotic breakdowns? I heard there’s a court hearing on the incident regarding the subway accidents.”

“The short version of it? At this rate, the man responsible will plea for insanity. Just like all the other cases.”

The agent nodded, allowing the information to sink in. It felt bizarre how Akechi was able to seamlessly worked around their current arrangement. Though the Starcatcher operative made certain he was at an arm’s reach, they didn’t let him in on matters related to the fragment issue. Akechi didn’t seem fazed, instead, he improvised and continued doing his usual routine around the new arrangement.

 _Am I disappointed?_ For certain, Mira truly thought they’d wring him out and push him to his limits by making him take part of the fragment vessel hunting. But seeing how things remained the same as before seemed far too convenient, yet, a little relieving to see. A part of her hesitated whether or not she should ask what Akechi and Tinders had agreed on to allow the current circumstances to follow.

Deciding not to inquire about it, she instead said; “Things on our end haven’t made much progress either.”

“Do you mean the whole ‘fragment’ hunting?”

The girl nodded, “We’ve been bumping heads with more psychotic breakdowns than fragment vessels. Because their outbursts are so similar in nature, it’s hard to tell which one’s which.”

“If the two incidents are so similar to each other, aren’t they just one and the same?”

“The difference lies with what happens after their breakdown. A psychotic breakdown is recoverable. Being possessed by a fragment is not. It’s better to extract those anomaly fragments before they manifest and break the host’s psyche. The moment they do…” -she recalled the incident with Kawaki- “There’s a chance they won’t survive once it takes over them.”

_Then there’s the fragments in Mementos._

“I feel like I’m walking over something important. Something I should be paying close attention to- but ended up overlooking it.” She pressed the bridge of her nose to stave off the impending headache. “One of my colleagues kept saying that these fragments aren’t supposed to survive this long in a land like this.”

“Now that you brought it up, where did these fragments come from?” Akechi asked. “You and your superior never really explained it to me.”

“That… will take a while to explain,” she said, recalling Cobe’s lengthy lectures.

“I don’t mind.”

She glanced at her classmate’s eager expression, then cleared her throat. “In the country where my colleagues are from, there’s an old fable about a tale of a Witchdoctor. It speaks of a man who wandered from one island to another, wreaking havoc to every village he enters. It was said he was called the ‘Witchdoctor’ because he had the gift to corrupt every heart and turn his victims into slaves through deceit.

One day, he was convicted of his crimes and was exiled to an island known as the land of healing. Those who exiled him hoped to cleanse his heart of his evil deeds. But in his exile, he cursed the land and the people around it, to a point of destruction.

At the height of his own accomplishments, a phoenix came down and destroyed this island in the hopes that its flames will rid the land of its corruption. But before it was able to fulfill its duty, the creature was slain and its fiery body burned all inhabitants to dust.

The Witchdoctor… survived, but his life was held by a single thread. So, in his dying breath, he split his soul away from his body and turned into two entities. His body disappeared and wandered across worlds; forever searching for its missing soul. His soul became the anomaly ‘Dark Matter’ and divided his soul into fragments and scattered them in search of a powerful vessel for him to reside.”

Akechi held his chin as he listened.

“Essentially, these anomaly fragments are pieces of that Witchdoctor’s soul. And these fragments have existed for more than a thousand years or so… Or so my colleague says.”

“That certainly is one elaborate fable to exist for thousands of years,” he said. “But to hear it from someone of your organisation, it’s honestly not surprising. This does however, confirm two things I had in mind for quite some time.”

“Confirm?”

“That there’s more than one world other than this one, and that this phenomenon you refer to as ‘fragments’ are proof of that.”

_As expected from the detective prince, to pick up that detail so quickly._

“Who knows,” she couldn’t help but smirk. “There’s a good reason why the SGI remained hidden for this long.”

“Except you and your team seem to do a terrible job at hiding it,” he jabbed.

“Oof, you didn’t need to rub it in,” she murmured. “Besides, I’d like to think it’s safe to trust you… to some degree.”

“Oh? And what exactly do you mean by, ‘to some degree’?”

“I’ll let you be the judge of that. Although, I half-expected you wouldn’t believe in a fable like that. But, I guess that shouldn’t be so surprising after seeing my colleagues in action.”

“Despite all appearances, I can easily accept grounded theories if they have an adequate output of reasoning and evidence,” he reciprocated with a smirk. “If I denied all other possibilities, I wouldn’t be able to solve any of my cases.”

“I suppose-”

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She gave him a small nod of apology and brandished her phone.

_‘Kawaki’_

“I’m sorry, I’m going to need to take this,” she didn’t wait for Akechi’s response as she walked a few paces away. “Kawaki-ku-”

 _“-Sorry Ayame-san,”_ Kawaki’s voice sounded desperate and urgent. _“But I need to talk to you about something.”_

“What is it?”

_“…A classmate of mine… who’s part of the volleyball team jumped off the roof yesterday.”_

**April 17 20XX**

Ann Takamaki stood in the viewing room; her long fingers pressed against the cold glass wall. Shiho laid there, unmoving, unconscious as the heart monitor pinged for every heartbeat.

Kamoshida. Castle. Persona: Carmen. Shiho. Suicide.

She thought she’d be okay. She thought if she endured Kamoshida’s advances, her friend’s position in the volleyball team would be secured.

The blonde girl curled her hands into fists, cursing at her own weaknesses.

_I promise you Shiho, he’ll pay for what he’s done._

“I sense a strong will within you.”

Surprised to hear English words in a place like this, she turned her head to the side. There, two janitors were there in the room. One was a girl in a medical mask and a high ponytail, wheeling in a cleaning cart. The other was a boy with deathly pale skin. The mere sight of him almost frightened her, for his presence mirrored that of a ghost; from his ashen skin to his white hair.

The masked girl head-pointed at the foreign janitor, obviously reprimanding him to continue his cleaning duty. She then turned to Ann and bowed in earnest as she apologized in English; “He’s new here.”

“Ah, no, it’s fine,” Ann shook her head. “Thank you for your hard work.”

With a one-handed broom and dustpan, the female janitor started sweeping the floor, but the pale boy didn’t move. Instead, his purple eyes pointed through the glass, his face expressionless and unreadable.

“That poor child,” he said in a daze. “The shadow within her remains restless in her spirit.”

“Huh?”

“Deep within her, she has the desire to live,” he paused. “But is plagued by… a sense of shame in the roots of her heart.”

“I-I’m sorry, who are you?” she asked him in English.

“Just a humble janitor,” he answered. To which his words earned a small ‘tch’ from his colleague.

The boy’s eyes observed her, his purple eyes narrowed, then reached for something in his pocket. Ann inched back instinctively the minute he took a step forward.

“Ah,” he retreated a step. “My apologies for scaring you.”

“Vega, what are you doing?” his colleague hissed but turned to Ann, bowing once again. “I’m sorry, he’s always like this whenever he thinks someone is feeling troubled.”

“Troubled?” Ann looked at the boy, who then took his hand out of his pocket, revealing two amber crystals resting on his palm.

“The road ahead of you will be difficult,” he said, offering the stones to her. “But for as long as your will won’t falter, your heart will become strong enough to overcome any obstacle.”

The half-American looked at him as she cautiously received the small gifts from his hand.

“Keep one for yourself, to guard you from the shadows,” he said solemnly. “And the other for your friend, who is currently plagued by them.”

“Huh?” she took a step back.

_How does he know about shadows? Who is this guy?_

“What do you mean by shadows?” she asked dubiously.

“Every thinking creature have shadows that dwell within themselves. They are a part of one’s self that were left unaddressed; unchecked; and at times, become the manifestation of our supressed, darker selves.” -he turned his head towards the glass window- “This girl is plagued by shadows. I sense fear, self-loathing and a desire to escape. But- her desire to live is just as strong.”

_Okay, I’m super confused._

The pale boy looked at her in the eye. “You, on the other hand, have found a way to tame your own shadows, Miss-”

“Ann,” she held up her free hand. “Ann Takamaki.”

“Miss Ann,” he nodded, shaking her hand gently. “It seems you have concurred and accepted your inner shadows. But that doesn’t mean you are spared from the foreign dangers of influence. I hope in due time, your heart is settled once your current whole ordeal is over-”

“-There you are!” another janitor burst into the room.

The third janitor resembled a porcelain doll, her eyes shimmered with flecks of gold and her small face curtained with bright, strawberry blonde curls braided down her back. Despite the shabby janitor’s uniform, her doll-like beauty made it look like a fashionable cosplay. If the girl had been a model, there’s no doubt she’d make it big in the industry.

“I’ve been looking all over for you. Now quit socializing and start working,” the girl scolded. The bisque girl then turned to Ann. “I am so sorry for this.”

“Ah- no, its fine,” Ann said quickly, trying to process just what the hell was going on.

The pale boy gave a sad, desperate look, “But I can’t leave her like this. Not when she seemed so distressed-”

“-No Vega, there are other floors to be cleaned,” the girl insisted, her eyes pointed daggers at him. “Socialise later.”

The two appeared to have a telepathic dialogue between them, eyes staring at each other with shifting expressions. The boy eventually conceded, his back hunched as he followed the bisque girl out of the room.

“What. Just. Happened?”

Ann pressed her temples with her fingers, trying to comprehend the strange encounter she had witnessed.

“I am so sorry for the noise,” the masked janitor bowed for the third time. “He’s new and he cannot help himself.”

“No, its fine,” Ann said to her in Japanese. “I speak Japanese, so there’s no need to talk in English.”

The janitor girl relaxed her shoulders and nodded.

“…What was he on about?” Ann asked.

“I know he’s a little strange,” the janitor explained. “But he means well. He’s actually a psychic, someone who’s sensitive to reading other people’s emotions… And has a terrible habit of approaching people who seemed troubled. I think he sensed how upset you are, so it was his way of comfort.”

Ann stared at the two stones in her hand; two jaggedly-cut crystals dyed in orange amber with cracked veins inside.

“That’s- another one of his habits,” the janitor pointed at the stones. “He likes to give a small token to those he helps. I hope you can forgive him for imposing those onto you.”

“No,” she smiled. “I get it.”

Ann recalled her classmate Akira who followed her all the way outside of the station, staying by her side till she dried her tears.

 _That guy was weird,_ she thought. _But I guess there are still nice people out there._

“Hey,” she turned to the janitor. “Can you thank your friend for me? Tell him it was sweet of him to do that for me.”

“O-oh, sure,” the girl nodded. “…I hope we didn’t disturb you or the patient-”

“Nah, it’s fine.”

Ann gave the janitor a light bow, made one last look at her friend through the glass; her determination re-ignited as she left.

_I’ll be back, Shiho. Wait for me._

* * *

Mira thought she was going to die.

As soon as the visitor left, she braced herself against the broom to hold herself up.

_I swear, how careless can he get?_

She plugged her ear and switched her radio on.

“The visitor’s gone. You guys can come out now.”

The two agents entered her view, with Sunshine’s arm hooked around Vega’s to secure him.

“Cobe,” Sunshine gritted her teeth. “Why. Why, oh, why did you have to be so careless?”

“I can’t ignore it,” Vega said innocently. “I felt her turmoil boiling inside her, so I thought she might need advice.”

“You can’t just walk up to people like that and give advice they didn’t ask for. Ugh. Anyway. Let’s get this over and done with.”

Mira shook her head.

 _This makes it three times,_ she wanted to scream. _His way of doing things is exactly why Akechi caught onto us so easily!_

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but- you’re mad at me for something?” the albino pointed.

The insider huffed, shaking her head.

She then grabbed Vega’s staff that lay hidden within the cleaning cart and tossed over to him. The staff had a size of a pole-arm; a hand-sized crystal as its head, held together with bindings of cords and braces. The boy caught his weapon and immediately struck the hospital floor with it.

A wave of warm radiance surrounded them, encasing the viewing room and the patient’s room with walls of light.

“Cha- I mean, Sunshine,” he ordered.

“Roger,” Sunshine outstretched her hand, light poured out of her palm. It then morphed into three blazing spheres that flew to where the surveillance cameras were stationed at.

“This should be enough.”

“Wouldn’t normal people see this?” Mira gestured at the light barriers.

“Gemma-chan,” Sunshine smiled mischievously. “One of the functions of a pilgrim’s light cage is to act as a perception filter, if the user wills it. That way, no one will see us or think about crossing this area. When you told us our latest victim jumped off and is now unconscious, we knew we’re gonna have to amp up our game here.”

The minute they entered the room, the unconscious patient began to squirm. Mira felt the temperature drop, the familiar stagnant air dominated her senses.

“Listen well, Gemma-chan,” Sunshine’s voice lowered. “What you are about to see is a difficult process of fragment extraction. If things go south, we’ll have to fight the vessel if Vega fails to remove the fragment from her soul-”

“Eh?”

 _Fight? In here?_ She gaped at the cramped medical room. _In this small room?! Wouldn’t that be ba-_

“Be at peace,” Vega commanded. “It is hard to concentrate with you panicking.”

The insider bit her lip, taking in a deep breath to calm herself.

The pilgrim extended his hand over the patient’s head.

“Do not be afraid,” he said with gentle command. “No one will harm you anymore.”

“N-no…” the patient quietly cried.

“Shh,” his hand illuminated faintly. “The injustice you have endured cannot be undone. But be still, not a single loved one has judged you.”

The patient’s lidded eyes leaked with tears.

Mira watched in quiet trepidation as Vega continued his one-sided dialogue with the unconscious patient. Questions began to pop up, wondering how he was able to do the things he does. With every assuring word, the patient’s breathing hitched then eased. The heart monitor speed up a little from time to time, making the insider hold her breath in anticipation.

Sunshine’s forehead broke into a sweat, as if she were witnessing the delicate procedure of dismantling a bomb.

“Shiho Suzui,” he whispered. “Have courage and do not fear. There are people still waiting for you.”

Upon saying his words, the patient’s body exhaled in exhausted relief.

“You have that Molotov cocktail with you, Gemma-chan?” Sunshine asked.

It took Mira a second to realize she meant the crystal that hung around her neck. “Yes, why?”

“Get ready to defend yourself, the fragment’s gonna go wild the minute it comes out.”

“What?”

“Spirit fragment,” Vega declared, his hand now glowed brighter. “COME OUT!”

He clenched his hand into a fist and pulled back. A dark haze flew out of Suzui’s body; the fragment’s body materialized into a translucent shroud.

“Mira, shield your eyes! Chamomile, NOW!”

Sunshine’s hands blazed, radiating a destructive heat. With her bare hands, the burning girl dragged the anomaly out of the patient’s room and into the viewing room at an incomprehensible speed.

Vega and Mira ran out of the room, with Vega striking the floor once more; dividing the light cage’s perimeter to encase them and the shrouded creature within the viewing room. Effectively separating the fragment’s former host from the parasite.

“The area’s secure!” he declared.

The wraith launched itself into Sunshine, its shadowy tendrils enveloping her. With a burst of radiance, she threw her fist into the anomaly’s faceless head, sending it into a retreat.

“You wanna piece of this?!” she said cockily, raising her fists into position.

“WhAT iS a STaRCatcHEr child dOIng in a lAnD liKe tHiss,” the wraith rattled.

“Better question: what’re you doing here in the Northern Realms?!”

“Chamomile, stay calm about this,” Vega shook his head.

“I am calm!”

The creature flew over their heads and headed straight towards Mira. Remembering Cobe’s lengthy instructions, Mira fisted the jewel from her neck and pricked her thumb on its jagged edge. Smearing the small drop of blood on the jewel’s surface, she screamed;

“DEFLECT!”

A spark of burning warmth emanated from her clutched crystal, sending forth a shockwave around her and throttled the wraith back against the wall. Vega, with his staff in hand, murmured inaudible words; in seconds the jewel on his staff illuminated.

Striking the ground once more, he summoned another light cage; trapping the wraith within it.

The creature shrieked, its voice rattled into dissonant sounds of low- and high-pitched cries. Its shrieks brought out a throbbing headache out of Mira as a flurry of images flashed in her mind.

* * *

_Her short legs limped towards the emergency exit button. Glass shards sprinkled across the marble floor. Incoherent screams. Sounds of an automatic piercing through mahogany desks, pillaging it into splinters of wood._

_“Hotaru, now!”_

* * *

“Cursed fragment,” Vega bellowed, snapping Mira out of it. “You who are not of this world; begone!”

With the end of his staff, the albino struck the cage, its impact sending another shockwave; throwing both Mira and Sunshine backwards. The fragment shrieked once more as it dissipated into thin air.

Vegan fell on his knees, exhausted as he leaned against his staff for support. Sunshine released a long breath, shaking her head.

“Whoa,” the insider gawked at the sight, her galloping heart slowly receded into its normal pace.

“N-next time,” Sunshine huffed. “Bring my brother over if you’re gonna exorcise those shades indoors. *huff* I’m no good at dealing with them in narrow spaces.”

“I’ll remember that,” he wearily noted.

Mira stared down at the crystal around her neck; its core glimmering with radiance. She never would have thought she’d experience using Mystic Islander technology in her entire life.

 _A Molotov cocktail indeed…_ the insider weakly laughed in relief.

Her laughter died upon recalling that shard of memory, to which she wilfully dampened the image away from her mind.

**Evening**

“Clean up took longer than I thought,” Chamomile stretched her arms in the air.

The three agents were well on their way back to the safehouse, walking down the steps of Shibuya station.

“It was an interesting experience,” Cobe bemused. “Using those concocted fluids to clean off those burn marks. Makes me wonder how many years did it take for Northerners to solve the menial problems without the use of orange stones.”

“Oh, come on, Cobe,” Chamomile jabbed him lightly. “Don’t tell me you’ve never used a cleaning agent ever in your life?”

“A pilgrim’s life was never to stay in one place. Since the day I became one, I’ve travelled across the entire Mystic Isles to perform my duties. I never had the opportunity to clean an entire floor for a very long time, let alone had the luxury bathe at times.”

“…Forget I asked.”

 _Sounds tough,_ Mira thought.

The station sang out an announcement just as the trio reached the ticket gates.

_“Attention: there has been a delay for the six-thirty train on platform 2-”_

“How is the stone, Mira?” Cobe suddenly asked. “Are you feeling any effects from using it?”

The insider unconsciously put her hand on her pendant, “I don’t think there are any issues.”

The albino hummed; his amethyst eyes gave her a curious look. “Looks like I was right to grant this to you.”

“What do you mean?”

“There you go again with those cryptic words,” Chamomile jeered.

“Did I forget to mention a few effects that come with carrying spirit stones?” Cobe asked.

Mira shook her head.

“I thought orange stones’ power are only accessible among Mystic Islanders only,” the cheery girl interjected.

“A pilgrim’s spirit stone is special,” he explained. “They are holy stones that grant power to those who are worthy of it. Endowed or unendowed; a Starcatcher; a Mystic Islander or a Northerner. Anyone is capable of using these stones, but not everyone is worthy of it. Which is why, there are still fewer pilgrims compared to other travelling occupants.”

Hearing those words made Mira think; “Am I… worthy of this?”

“I think the events of today is a testament to that, don’t you think?” he gave her a reserved smile. “If you weren’t, a rebound would have taken effect as soon as you tapped into its power. I must warn you however, that when more is given, more is asked of you. From this point on, you must think carefully in how you use this power.”

Though his words sounded hopeful, a part of Mira shirked at the idea of it. She wanted to believe his words to be true, but-

_‘-Hotaru-chan-’_

How does one know the value of their worth? As much as she wanted to believe it, some things in the past cannot be overwritten.

“Anyway,” the pilgrim cleared his throat. “Of all things that come with this stone, you must remember this, Mira. When this heats up, it means there’s a greater danger nearby. If you can help it, run away. Do not engage with it. If you do, there’s no telling you might survive it.”

“That reminds me, Mira-chan,” Chamomile interjected. “You said you entered that Mementos world through this station, right?”

“Yes?”

“Why not we try and find the portal you stumbled in to get there?”

“Eh?”

Cobe grimaced, shaking his head. “Oh dear.”

“W-wait,” Mira said quickly, shaking her head. “Tinders-san hasn’t given out orders yet on-”

“It’ll be fine,” Chamomile mischievously smiled. “I can just tell Linda I wanted to see every nook and cranny of the station and happened to wrap you two with me. Nothing too heavy.”

The cheery girl then started wandering off without waiting for their reply, skipping her steps as she disappeared into a corner.

“Once something sparks her curiosity, she won’t go until she’s satisfied,” Cobe shook his head.

“I guess that makes sense?” Mira didn’t know what to think about after hearing that.

“Unfortunately, it came to a point where she opened too many ‘pandora boxes’ as you Northerners call it. I could count the number of times it brought us more trouble than useful leads. Worse still, no one by her brother knows how to hold her back.”

Her brown eyes widened. “T-that’s terrible! We have to follow her!”

The insider grabbed the albino by the wrist and headed over to where Chamomile disappeared to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I mentioned this in my housekeeping notes, but characters like Cobe, Chamomile the entire Starcatcher team and the Witchdoctor legend are pre-established ideas my brother and I created, long before I wrote this fic.  
> Just finally utilising them into a story made me a little too excited, so I couldn't help myself. I just hope I haven't alienated the you all with the sudden fight sequence without a lot of explanation. Mira was really the only character I made for this fic.  
> Thank you guys again for following this piece. My health is improving, and you guys have no idea how excited I am for the next chapter.


	14. Where the Cats Gather

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rewritten chapter updated at 11/09/2020
> 
> So much has been cut out and I realise there wasn't enough built-up chemistry between our two MCs. Enjoy.

**April 21 20XX**

After the trial hearing, both members of the court and its visitors huddled towards the doors’ clamouring with murmurs of uncertainty.

Goro expected Sae Nijima to discuss further details of the case and waited at the bottom floor of the court house, leaning against one of the marble pillars. Rivalling TV station reporters rushed to gain the first statement from the chief of police and minister of transport, congesting traffic by the doors.

The detective shook his head at the sight.

_Always the same, regardless of who’s side they’re on._

The detective’s view of journalists had always been a dim one; for they never cared about the truth, and would rather to focus on the sensationalistic nature of these scandals. Though, he’d have to admit that there was one journalist who was different from those part of the mainstream media. That one journalist who dared venture into that territory where others failed. It was a pity however, for one of Shido’s associates had easily found out about it before she could dig deeper. The rest was self-explanatory.

A part of him thought his classmate was lucky that it was him and not one of Shido’s men who found Saito first. But then again, based on the little he had seen, the SGI would have easily wiped their memory before they could report it. His impressions of the organisation so far were more or less obscure, especially regarding the matter of where their loyalties lie. They didn’t answer to a specific country’s laws; nor do they make their overall goals clear before him. Their existence itself could easily be branded as terrorists before the world stage if they made themselves known to the public.

Apart from that, he wasn’t so convinced at the prospect that their only agenda was to protect the world from hidden dangers. If the cognitive world hadn’t been made accessible to him, he would have easily lumped them together with delusional conspirators. The fact that he did see one of those ‘fragments’ they have been hunting for was enough evidence to diffuse the idea of them as delusional.

As soon as the SIU prosecutor came into view, he straightened himself up as he wordlessly followed her strides.

“You saw how the minister of transport reacted, didn’t you?” the prosecutor began.

“To think he’d resign his position to save face,” the detective nodded. “It’s only a matter of time before the next man would take up the mantle. But even then, it’s stranger to think about how he easily backed himself out of this situation.”

“Then there’s the string of mental shutdowns happening all over the city.”

“Right.”

They exited the courthouse through the left wing and pressed forward towards the SIU office.

“That reminds me; I’ve been hearing strange cases of patients who were supposedly in a vegetated state going missing from their hospital wards.”

“Huh,” Goro mused. “That’s a first I’ve heard. Where did you hear it from?”

“A colleague of mine was chatting to me about it. Though nothing has been confirmed as of yet, but they might be issuing a proper investigation on the matter soon.”

“I highly doubt the matter will easily be settled, given the current circumstances surrounding these breakdown cases. With my hands tied to your department and the occasional beck and call from the homicide investigations unit, there’s not much I can contribute on the matter.”

“I see,” Sae nodded in acknowledgement.

By the time the two separated to their own ways, Goro called for his ride and waited by the building’s entrance. He had already anticipated once the number of these incidents reaches a pinnacle; someone will have to be used as a scapegoat. They’d have to, les that the public would lose faith in the system. Despite him being responsible for the chain of incidents, he looked forward to the day he’ll reveal the true culprit. And when that happens, the bare bones of their broken system will be revealed. Then the entire structure of it will fall down like a house of cards, bringing down his father along with it.

_‘That’s… admirable of you.’_

He lifted his chin to the sky as he recalled Saito’s words.

For a girl who affiliated herself to the Secret Global Intelligence, she appeared to be rather naïve and at times, dull-witted to certain areas. Just what sort of life had she been living in to say such strange words? In his earlier years, he thought of himself as a figure of scorn; a cursed child who had brought nothing but grief and burden in the past. There was nothing enviable being in that position. But of course, he knew what Saito meant was how he was able to get himself out of that situation.

He’d have to admit, the words tickled him; having to hear it from a girl of his age. The words didn’t feel like empty praises, but rather, he felt validated by such simple lines. In the back of his mind, however-

_Would she be disappointed if she knew?_

The detective chuckled to himself, realising how long it’s been since he’s ever had those kinds of thoughts.

**April 22 20XX**

Akechi called her in to accompany him once more after school, this time, rather than dragging her into another crime scene, he invited her over to speak with her in private inside a karaoke booth.

“A possible kidnapping?” she asked.

“If I’m being honest, there hasn’t been an official investigation yet, but something about what I heard bothered me,” her classmate arranged the papers into rows. “From what I was told, a handful of patients who were under a vegetated state suddenly went missing.”

She gaped at Akechi, realising what he was hinting at.

“…And most of these victims happened to be in that state thanks to the mental shutdowns,” he added.

“Wait,” she uttered as felt her blood drain. “What happens after victims go through a mental shutdown?”

“Their mental state deteriorates after the event, even to a degree of falling into a vegetated state,” he answered. “I’m surprised the SGI didn’t have any records regarding this.”

“SGI archives are segregated by rank. Some information is classified to lower ranking members like myself.”-Mira sighed, scratching her head- “All this time we’ve been focusing too much on the psychotic breakdowns we overlooked such an obvious thing!”

“So, my hunch was right, then?”

“What hunch?”

“Oh, I guess I never said anything to you, did I?” he said. “After you’ve told me about these fragments, it then occurred to me about the cases of the mental shutdowns. What happens to the victims of the mental shutdowns who eventually fall into a coma? Or someone who loses all function of their motor skills?”

“…I’m afraid you’re on the right track,” -she took out her phone and entered the SGI archives, filing through the digital code red files- “Comatose and vegetated individuals are his most ideal vessels since their bodies are unable to die, but is unable to control their own bodies.”

The more she thought of it, the more foolish she felt; not having realised this situation sooner.

“I can’t believe-” she shook her head. “We’ve been so focused on hunting for dormant carriers, we’ve overlooked this detail. If we had known that’s the extent of mental shutdowns, we would have focused on them from the start.”

Akechi eyed her phone, then focused on the photocopied police reports.

“I can’t say that it was your operative’s fault for overlooking this,” he said. “The police have been tight-lipped on the long-term effects of the mental shutdowns. Some of those mental shutdowns were ruled out as deteriorating illnesses, cardiac arrests or even suicide. The media has their hand in the cover-up as well and focused more on the psychotic breakdowns.”

“Then there’s the fact that most of my teammates are familiar with the way things work around here,” she muttered.

“I suppose.”

Mira took one of the missing profiles, reading over the details of the report. There was also the possibility that a few of these missing individuals didn’t turn into fragment vessels, but were kidnapped by someone else. The insider admitted she isn’t necessarily the sharpest tool in the shed, to have Akechi of all people notice the most basic detail wounded her pride as an agent. At the same time, though she wouldn’t say it, she knew, h _e really does live up to the name._

There are instances where he had been a little crass or smug around her, but his skills as a detective was definitely no joke. Not so much of a prince, but a person worthy of his title.

_What have I been doing?_

Compared to him, she continued to follow her duties. If her seniors would tell her to jump, she wouldn’t need to ask how high. A tool who was willing to be used by her own senior; a blank slate who wallows too much on her own self-pity.

“T-Thank you,” she said, not looking at him. She hated to admit it, but she found herself chewing at her own words for those times she told him to stay away.

“Whatever for, Saito?”

“For informing me about this,” she felt her face heat up, ashamed of her wounded pride just as she came to accept the merits of his participation.

“I’m just fulfilling my end of the bargain,” he said with a wry smile. “There was no need to act so flustered about it, Saito.”

She eyed him, pursing her lips at that last statement; “Even an insider like myself have her own pride to keep… that and I…” -she bit her lip- “…owe you an apology for- calling you an idiot.”

“I don’t see why you should,” he said as if the matter never fazed him. “But, nevertheless, apology accepted.”

_He’s not playing it fair._

It would have been easier if he had been a little more boastful about it rather than pulling out that humble act on her. Though she had long since accepted he wasn’t the generously meek prince, he was still someone with a common level of decency.

“Anyway,” she wilfully changed the subject. “Are these all the people on the list?”

“Vaguely,” he said. “As I told you before, the police haven’t started an investigation yet, so the reports I have here happened to be in the police department’s archives. I just had a hunch this might be something the SGI might be looking for.”

“You- didn’t get into trouble getting these copied, by any chance?”

“No, in fact I’ve been granted the authority to access their records for a while now.”

“Oh, right. I’ve forgotten.”

Akechi’s phone then sang out, effectively interrupting their conversation.

“Excuse me,” he said, to which she nodded, allowing him to step out of the room for a moment.

The insider looked into the pieces of information, pulled out her phone and took snapshots of the records. As she did so, she distinctively heard the drop of the name ‘Shido’ from his lips.

“-no, I don’t think there’ll be any issues with that. Alright,” Akechi then pocketed his phone before he re-entered the room. The minute he did so, he head-pointed at her; “Not wasting any time?”

“It’s my job,” she said casually. “It’s easier for me to review these reports before I make my own.”

“So, the SGI does have the same burdensome paperwork, huh,” he mused. “No wonder you’re falling behind in your grades.”

“Irk. Don’t remind me. I’ve been doing my best to get on top of things, you know. I know there’s entrance exams to worry about.”

“From my perspective, I’m beginning to think you might not be better suited for this job at this rate.”

His words wounded her shrivelling pride.

“…You too, huh,” she mumbled.

“Hm?”

“Nothing.”

* * *

“I’m home,” she declared, shutting the door.

Mira navigated her way towards Tinder’s study, only to be greeted with the sight of her wearing a pair of overhead speakers as she monitored the screen in front of her.

“Sirius, locate your position,” ordered the Lieutenant. “Your marker’s not registering in our radar.”

_“-Sirius to Situla. The host has escaped the cage. I’m in pursuit of him now.”_

_“Urgh, dammit. This is not going as well as we hoped! Situla, apologies in advance. Looks like I’m gonna have to use *that* thing again.”_

Tinders sighed, shaking her head. “How far is the candidate from your location?”

_“Half a mile, give or take.”_

“Fine. But I’m holding you responsible for anything that happens from here on.”

Seeing how they were in the middle of a mission, Mira decided not to disturb Tinders and quietly retreated into her room. She then changed out of her uniform in favour of her house clothes, her head filled with doubt.

_By the end of this year- I might be able to…_

To take her chances in filing up for the higher ranks of the SGI, or to live a life of an ordinary citizen. If she could prove her worth, maybe she could redeem whatever stain she had marked on her family’s household. At the same time, if she lived an ordinary life while knowing that beneath the peaceful exterior are unseen dangers, she knew that would forever haunt her.

_‘You might not be better suited-’_

To have someone who wasn’t even part of the SGI say those words was already telling her something.

**April 24 20XX**

**Morning**

It is often rare for any operating SGI member to take a day off while they were on missions. For the case of the Starcatcher Operative, they would spread their days off two members at a time. Yet despite it being Reina and Mira’s day off on that Sunday morning, the two seemed to find themselves sitting amidst their usual morning reports.

“Ah geez, you two,” Thomas massaged his temples after one look. “It’s your day off. Go play or study on some mundane subject, you workaholics.”

“I can’t just sit around and ‘play’ when I know there’s a fragment vessel on the loose,” Reina’s words were stern but impassioned.

Mira said nothing but stared at the raven-haired girl. Just the mere sight of her hypnotic-blue eyes exuded a silent, powerful aura could effectively intimidate or draw others towards her. In the little times she had interacted with her, the insider had always thought Reina had the ability to make other scarce with one look.

“Yes, I know you feel responsible for not being able to extract the fragment effectively, but come on,” Thomas threw his hands up in the air. “Lighten up.”

His words were reciprocated with a chilling glower from Reina, to which Thomas flinched in turn.

Tinders, ignoring Thomas and Reina, called out; “Reina aside, Mira. There’s no need for you to be here today. Go catch up on studies or something, you’ve already contributed more than enough for the team.”

“…About that,” Mira walked up to the crime board. “There’s something I haven’t told a few days back.”

Mira began to reiterate what Akechi had told her about the missing patients, alongside the conditions regarding the mental shutdown incidents. As soon as she touched on the victims falling into a vegetated state, everyone in the room gaped at her.

“Why didn’t you tell us sooner?!” William yelled, only for Tinders to chide at him.

“This is bad,” Chamomile bit her finger anxiously.

“Yeah, really bad,” Thomas agreed.

Mira fidgeted as she anxiously nodded, “I know I should have informed you sooner, but with everyone’s hands full, I didn’t know when I’d be able to tell you.”

Tinders gave out a frustrated huff.

“Saito,” she shook her head. “You have to stop this habit of yours of withholding information till the last minute. If something as urgent as this comes up, you must speak up. We’re a team. And in order for this team to operate is through proper communication. You’ve been with us for more than a year, and I know you were holding back out of consideration for us. But things like this, you must address it, regardless of our busy schedules. Got that?”

“…Yes,” Mira sheepishly nodded.

“Okay,” her leader nodded. “Is there anything else you wish to add?”

“W-what are we going to do now?”

“It’s obvious,” William deadpanned. “We’ll have to start searching for these missing patients. That, and we’ll have to get a second look at all the victims of mental shutdowns as well.”

“Easy for you to say,” Thomas scoffed. “The number of these shutdown victims are in clusters, remember? It wasn’t so frequent last year, but this year’s been full of these incidents.”

From that point, the entire team began discussing between themselves. Mira stood there, watched at how close-knit they were with each other. Like an observer gazing into an aquarium, seeing them interact in their comfortable habitat, she felt like an outsider.

Tinders turned to Mira, “I know I’ve scolded you for not telling us sooner, nevertheless, thank you for informing us. If there’s nothing else you wish to contribute, you are dismissed.”

“Yes, Tinders-san,” she bowed her head before she left.

* * *

Mira leaned against the carriage wall; her thoughts wandered to her team. Each of them was unique and comfortable of their own skin; each of them was open and honest about their own feelings. For the longest time, Mira had only read reports of their exploits of their missions and how many times they’ve failed before they were able to succeed. Before she even joined this operative, not once has she ever considered how close-knit they were. But after working for them for this long, it became more and more apparent. That rather than colleagues who trusted each other, they were family to each other. A bond so special and rare to find in this estranged society she was living in.

As the carriage rocked and swayed, the momentum lulled her to sleep.

* * *

_“-ru-chan, is there anything you want?”_

_“No,” the little girl shook her head._

_“There’s no need to be considerate of us, Hotaru-chan. It’s not wrong to want something.”_

_“…you won’t get mad?”_

_“Oka-san won’t get mad,” a warm, genuine smile graced her lips._

_“…mousecake,” the girl mumbled._

_“Hm?”_

_“Hotaru wants mousecake,” the girl said coyly._

* * *

_“Odaiba,”_ the train intercome announced. _“We will be arriving at Odaiba shortly.”_

She felt a small pang in her chest as she woke up, remnants of her dream lingered in the back of her head.

 _How nostalgic,_ she mellowly thought.

She stood up and paced towards the carriage doors, realising she had found herself a long way away from Kichijoji. Not that the girl saw it as a problem; after all, travelling without a destination had always been her favourite past-times. Getting off at Odaiba station, she decided to wander the streets, hoping to bury her insecurities with the busy streets.

_Now that I think about it-_

She remembered there was an area within Odaiba she used to stop by after her therapy sessions. Mira followed a mental route from her memories, hoping to see if that place was still there. Much to her relief, the empty plot of land between two buildings remained; a small place where cats would gather.

The girl couldn’t hold back the grin on her face, her worries temporarily forgotten as she crossed the barrier of overgrown grass. Mostly bob-tails and maine coon breeds gathered around this area, their fluffy fur varied in length and patterns. Three cautious felines pawed their way towards her, two of them had their tails standing up on high alert. She squatted before the anxious litter; 3 pairs of jewel-lit eyes lifted up to greet her.

One then claimed her lap, curling its tri-coloured body with ease. She stroked its fur with silent glee and adoration, relieved to find that the cats here weren’t hostile to humans.

_At least this place hasn’t changed._

It was strange coming to Odaiba spontaneously after three years, recalling the paths she crossed as well as the emotions attached to it. Sitting through all those dark days of uncertainty, she couldn’t tell which parts of her memories were extracted and which ones were wilfully supressed.

_‘-not suitable-’_

_‘-not suited-’_

_‘how is she anything like him?’_

“…I don’t have it in me, do I?” she said to the cat as she scratched its chin. “Who am I supposed to be? How do I know this road is meant for me?”

The calico meowed.

Mira chuckled, “At least you know who you are. Regardless of what name they give you, you’re still the same cat.” -she grew sullen as the void slowly crawled onto her back- “Some say names affect the way you live your life… yet pet owners give them names by their trait or personality.”

As far as she knew, she had taken up multiple identities; breaking any unified semblance of a cohesive understanding of herself. She couldn’t tell which part of her was lying and which face truly defines her for who she is. After the truth had slapped her in the face, she was afraid of decisions; not trusting herself to make any big ones. The only motivation left of her was to at least atone for things her parents did by staying in the SGI.

“…maybe I’m just lying to myself,” she said quietly.

The world within the SGI was dangerous and perilous, but more than that, the world outside of the SGI was far too foreign. Unlike the ‘ordinary’ world where people live in idle ignorance, she could only cling onto what she was most familiar with, despite how dangerous it was. Her skills are useless in a world where lives aren’t on the line, so she’d might as well exploit those heinous talents onto her missions. But even she knew, compared to her protégée parents, she was mediocre at best.

The girl shook her head, fingers playing with the cat’s silken fur. The soft, fluffy, tri-coloured feline purred at her touch, melting away her own self-deprecating thoughts.

“Well, this is an odd surprise,” a familiar voice pricked her ears. “What are you doing here, Saito?”

She slowly turned her head up and much to her horror, Akechi stood there a few feet away from her. The girl felt her head slowly heating up in embarrassment.

“H-how long have you… been standing here?” she stumbled her words at the thought of being seen talking to a cat.

“I was passing by this area until I saw you there,” he paused, then smugly pointed. “Why ask, Saito? Are there other secrets you’re keeping from me?”

She sighed inwardly, relieved to know he hadn’t seen her-

“I never took you for a cat whisperer,” he chuckled. “I must admit it’s quite adorable.”

“Ha?” her ears flared at those words.

“Why are you acting so flustered about? I’m not making fun of you.”

“I-I know that, but-I’m not used to people… seeing me like this…” she took in a deep breath in a poor attempt to calm herself down. “What are you doing here in Odaiba, Akechi?”

“Oh, I just got out from interviewing a witness who happened to live within this area.” He then crossed the barrier of grass and bent down in front of her, eyes observing the creature on her lap. “Is it a stray, perhaps?”

“I doubt it,” she said as she found herself unconsciously playing with the feline’s forehead. “But then again, most cats aren’t hostile to humans within this area.” A thought crossed her mind. “They make you work on a Sunday? Even though you're still in high school?”

“Not really, it was purely voluntary.”

“I see.” She then scooped the cat off her lap and put it aside on the grassy floor, only for the cat to jump back to her lap, clawing on the fabric of her pants. The insider felt her feet growing numb after having to squat for a while, but it seemed that the cat had other plans.

“Looks like you’re held hostage,” Akechi jovially pointed.

“Thank you, for pointing out the obvious,” she sardonically said.

The calico mewed, curling its neck on her jacket, making her smile at it adoringly. The minute she remembered her classmate was still there, she cleared her throat.

“You really like cats this much, huh,” he mused.

“Y-yeah,” she said sheepishly. “I do. I can’t keep them, though, since I don’t really have time to take care of them.”

“Do you often come by here, by any chance?”

“I, well,” the girl reluctantly began as she resumed petting the feline. “I… used to, but that was a long time ago. After a while, things got too complicated and found no time or reason to go here… I guess I wanted to have… some time to think about myself.”

“Then I take it, you’re off-duty, then,” Akechi concluded.

Mira nodded, then eyed the calico on her lap, her mind was somewhere else. “…I’m not good at this am I?”

“Good at what?”

“You said it yourself,” she began. “You said I’m not well-suited for this job. I don’t know who I am or what I’m supposed to be. Even though I say my career path is set, I can’t tell if I’m just telling myself this because I’m scared of becoming someone I…” She blinked and realized she had yet again, spilled out her polluted thoughts onto her classmate once more. “Sorry. I’m talking nonsense again.”

He held his chin, a sign that he was thinking over what she said. “Forgive me, but I don’t really understand what it is you’re asking. Are you asking my opinion of your current position or are these questions nothing more than a rhetoric for you to torment yourself?”

“Like I said, it's just me spouting nonsense again.” She lowered her head. “I guess I'm just... feeling insecure. Sometimes while I’m in the middle of an operation, I have this feeling this is as far as I’m gonna get. That I can't cross that level where my efforts aren't accountable enough. And yet, I haven't sunk low enough to be hated. I keep telling myself I don't mind being forgotten yet-"

The cat mewed once again, making her realize her hand had grown still.

“-in other words, you want to be acknowledged. Am I right?”

His words caught her off-guard.

She lifted her head and found a small smile on his lips.

Her throat grew tight, realising how his words resonated with what she wanted. She wanted to cry, but her pride wouldn’t let her and so she blinked back the tears as she nodded.

“I see,” he reached his gloved hand to the creature on her lap and started stroking its fur. “I guess we’re not so different, after all.”

“Huh?” her eyes widened a little. “‘Not so different?’”

His smile grew mellow. “I’d like to say that I’m moonlighting as a detective because of the injustice I can’t ignore. But- my grades, my reputation, my status; it’s all because I want to be acknowledged. I honestly don’t believe it’s wrong to want something like that.”

 _‘-Hotaru-chan. It’s not wrong to want something.’_ The words echo in her head.

Mira rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, sniffling back before the dam broke.

“Sorry,” she said, taking in a deep breath. “I wasn’t planning on any of this today.”

“None taken,” Akechi shook his head. “If anything, I should be the one apologizing for running my mouth without a second thought.”

Letting the words sink in, Mira gained a better perspective over her classmate. Call him a prince, a detective protégé, an honour student; in the end he honed all of that to be recognized for his work. Some could perceive it as just another attention seeker, but to admit these words on the same level as hers felt more genuine and honest.

“No,” she shook her head at his apology. “I guess I needed to hear that.”

Her classmate gave a small chuckle, “And here I was, worried you’d think I’m merely imposing my words on you.”

“…But I thought you do that most of the time,” she said mercilessly.

“Huh?” he gaped at her in wide-eyed surprise.

Seeing him like this made her want to push him a little, “You love to talk, but you aren’t a bad listener. Your stubbornness knows no bounds. You’d try everything to get in your way, regardless of how I feel. Sometimes you have no tact in how you handle someone’s emotional crisis. And though your fangirls think highly of you, your overconfidence can sometimes come off as a haughty know-it-all.”

“That’s your impression of me?” Akechi sweat-dropped at her verbal list.

She tilted her head, feeling a small seed of mischief growing inside of her. “Maybe? Maybe not.”

“Which is it?!”

The girl smiled, giggling at him in his expense. It was strange. To know that she wasn’t the only one who had the same fears gave her a strange sense of comradery. And of all people it had to be Akechi. But then again, even when they first met, he had always demonstrated that keen awareness for other people’s behaviour with just one look.

The minute she settled down, he gave an odd, yet satisfied expression. “Looks like you’re feeling better. That’s good. I’m glad my company might have served its purpose.”

_He still needs to work on that ego, though._

“Aren’t you so humble and kind,” she deadpanned.

“Oh, but I do try my best though,” he threw back her sarcasm. “You should feel honoured I spent the remainder of my time with you.”

“Except, that the fault lies on you to wasted it on me.”

“Touché.”

**Afternoon**

The train ride back to Shibuya felt longer than usual. It didn’t take long for either her and Akechi to go their separate ways. With the cat holding her lap hostage for the entire time, it left strands of its fur on her clothes. Mira did her best to swat away the strands, recalling what had transpired that day.

Even though his words rang true to her, there was another part of herself that thought; _that wasn’t it at all._

Did she really want to be acknowledged? Or was it something far deeper and complicated?

There had only ever been three anchors she could define about herself. One, to never be like her parents. Two. Never turn a blind eye towards the threats and problems that happens in the world. Three. Dedicate herself to her duties by any means necessary.

Living a double life of an agent and a student had only made things more complicated than this. A part of her even wondered why her uncle even bothered to make her live through this kind of life. It’s not that she was blind to his good intentions, but having to forcibly live through situations she was uncomfortable with had only further emphasized the void within herself.

The insider shook her head, deciding it wasn’t worth ruminating over, less that the emptiness within would pollute her thoughts. She plugged her ears, attaching the audio jack into her phone. As she scrolled through to search for the radio app, her eye fell to the red-eyed app.

_That’s right, I never really figured out how this got in here._

SGI technology like her phone was supposed to be able to ward off any spyware or foreign software into its system. To think, that despite the S-tier A.I. that the admin team had been so boastful of was able to overlook something as ominous as this.

She activated the app, cautious as she was curious of it. Her screen turned red the minute she opened the program.

 _“Please enter a name, location and distortion,”_ the app announced.

“Huh,” she scoffed.

Within that moment, the carriage reached Shibuya, to which she exited her way into the train platform; eyeing the program as she did so.

 _‘Metaverse Navigator’_ she read.

“…” The agent didn’t know why, but instinct told her not to trust it.

And yet, a luring tug of curiosity told her otherwise.

_If this is some kind of navigator app then-_

Mementos was the first thing that came to mind. She typed in the search bar of the app.

_‘Me. Men. Tos.’ And enter._

_“Beginning navigation,”_ the interface declared.

Almost immediately, she was struck with a dizzy spell; and with it, the world around her was dyed red once more. Upon recovery, she found herself alone, the world painted crimson and the walls of the station enveloped with those familiar red and black veins.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

* * *

Hey guys, here's a little add on for visual reference of her persona user clothes:

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few things I realised when I got to this point of the chapter:  
> 1: The free therapy session with Maruki was boring. It felt like there was no service to the plot nor did it contribute anything in it on the overall spectrum. Which segues to point 2:  
> 2: As of now, I don't know if I wanna forgo with the P5R plotline. Kasumi and Maruki will still be there, but remember that the Royal plotline only accessed when Joker maxes out Akechi, Kasumi and Maruki to a certain level in their confidant. I do want to add Royal, but the OC plot line might not mingle with Royal very well. We shall see, but in the mean time, I'm not so sure. We'll see how we go.  
> 3: Akechi. I realise there was a lot of holes in their built up chemistry with Mira. I needed to fix that, so hence, we get a bonding moment before *that* event happens.  
> 4: Cats. I wanna establish a quirky side to Mira apart from her gloomy personality. (This girl is depressed, so she's gonna need a lot of creature comforts at least once in a while)


	15. Back to the Rabbit Hole

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... after reading your comments and considerations? I've decided to keep going with this fic. With the intent of possibly redrafting this when I reach the conclusion. After talking with my bro about the matter as well, it kinda gave me more motivation to continuing this version.  
> I guess I had a moment of "Impostor Syndrome" where I suddenly got hit with that insecurity of "you're not good enough so why bother" kinda thoughts. It's weird and I think I might have been over-reacting too much. (I have the worst perfectionist tendencies that I am not proud of)  
> So, sorry about that ruckus from that sudden announcement. So, to you, teafortwo, Crystal202 and Rellia, (and if your reading this bro), thank you guys so much for the feedback. And to you, my silent readers who've been following me, sending me kudos, putting up with my shtck.  
> EDITED update at 25/09/2020

**April 27 20XX**

**Lunchtime**

“You don’t seem energetic these days.”

“…Am I that easy to read?”

Goro paused to think and grinned. “Perhaps. You seemed to be distracted in class today and the day before.”

“Hearing you say that really bites,” she said, biting into her sandwich.

After his little encounter with her in Odaiba, he had come to understand her a little better by the day. Contrary to her reserved nature, she was a quiet cynic who rarely ever shares her own thoughts unless he caught her off guard. Quite the sarcastic tongue too, he might add. The girl smiles like a child in the presence of cats, and yet, she is easily embarrassed to admit her own opinions. That is, until she’d tire herself out; only then would she loosen her restraints and become less considerate towards others.

His classmate took a sip from her oolong tea before she said; “Turns out your tip did more than just give us a lead, we found ourselves bumping heads with another operative. The missing patients who suffered mental shutdowns were the same individuals the other operative was looking for. We still haven’t located all of them yet, but so far, the few whom we found weren’t fragment vessels. Only one of them is a confirmed candidate.”

He smiled inwardly, relieved to know his plan was moving forward through the SGI.

“I’m grateful for sharing us the info,” she added. “But I’m beginning to think what you did was sending us into a wild goose chase.”

“What made you say that?”

“Because so far, some of those names… are political figure heads. CEOs and ministers from different departments. It’s as if-” she raised her head, tired eyes staring into his own. “What exactly are you trying to find in these mental shutdowns, Akechi?”

He rested his hand on his hip, forcing a smile, “I’ll tell you some other time.”

“Why not now?” she eyed him dubiously. “Withholding information like this makes you more and more suspicious.”

“Come on, have a little faith,” he prodded. “You’ve always said that we’re on the same side.”

She sighed, shaking her head, “You’re only saying that now for your own convenience.”

Seeing that Saito had nothing more to say, he was yet again, disappointed she didn’t prod any further. If she pried hard enough, she might’ve figured out by now what he’s hiding. Perhaps, the truth was he wanted to test her to see how she’d fare if she was sharp enough to see the outline.

“Take it as you see fit,” he said. “Just as the SGI wishes to use me, I’m willing to use the SGI on my own terms as well. I doubt I’m doing anything that goes against our agreement, since I’ve provided them something to work with.”

She sighed again, “I think I’m starting to understand how Tinders-san felt.”

“Hm?”

“She chewed my head off for not informing her sooner regarding the missing patients.”

The detective shuddered at the mere thought of that woman. The first time he met Saito’s superior, the young woman bore an unsettling aura akin to the monsters he fought within the cognitive world. He could recall the very ego of him shaken as she interrogated him.

“You have my condolences,” he nodded. “Speaking of, I do find it odd for someone so exceptionally young to be in a position to intimidate anyone so easily.”

Saito burst out laughing.

“What?” he felt his own pride threatened as he drank from his bottle. “You’d think after _that_ incident, I’d forget it?”

“Ah, no,” she said as small chuckles escaped between her words. “It’s just that Tinders-san is old enough to be our grandmother. She’s more than fifty years old and had more than enough experience to know how to crack into someone’s head.”

He choked at the information, coughing out the water.

“Whoa, are you alright?”

“I’m *cough* fine,” he wheezed taking his handkerchief to wipe his mouth. “Fifty?! That woman’s more than fifty years old?”

“Weird isn’t it?” she laughed. “But then again, all members of my team are older than me. Even some are in their early twenties.”

Goro tried to link Saito’s words with the visual image of the other members he met.

“Suddenly everything makes sense,” he shook his head. “And here I was, questioning the moral ethics of your organisation to hire minors to carry out their work.”

A small scoff escaped her lips and smiled mellowly. Raising her head up to the sky (another apparent habit she makes), she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

“How about you?” she asked. “You seemed to be getting on top of things, as usual.”

“I don’t know what quantifies your definition of ‘getting on top of things’,” he leaned back against the rooftop fence. “But I’d say I’m doing exceptionally well.”

“I envy you,” she shrugged. “Apart from those other duties, there’s school work to worry about. I’m getting the hand of organising a proper schedule, but when new cases show up… everything gets thrown out the window.”

“Speaking of,” he said. “You never really told me the reason behind the Shujin uniform a few weeks back.”

“Oh, _that,_ ” she grimaced. Saito surmised that her team found a fragment cluster among Shujin students who were severely injured. Explaining to him how the injuries were caused by a former prized Olympian medallist who was hired to become a Gym teacher in the academy.

“A school with an Olympian medallist who abuses his students, huh,” he muttered.

“There’s barely anything solid to work with this case,” she scratched her head. “Just a guy with memory lapses all thanks to the fragment’s influence. Other victims of the abuse are too frightened to speak out and everyone knows it’ll take more than an amnesiac’s testimony to convict him. Then there’s a victim who jumped off the rooftop not long ago. These circumstances itself is something the SGI can only acknowledge but cannot act unless we have these victims speak out.”

The detective held his chin, letting his mind work with what she had shared.

“Can you identify the names of these victims?” he asked.

“Yeah, it’s in my phone right here,” she switched her screen on and started scrolling through the app list.

His eyes widened, recognising the metaverse navigator icon on her screen.

“Saito…” his gaze was fixed to the red icon. “That app…”

“Huh?”

The boy opened his mouth to speak, only to have the bell signal the end of their lunch break.

“Sorry, what were you saying?” she asked.

_It can’t be. How is it all possible?_

“…No, it’s nothing,” he shook his head, pulling up a smile. “Later perhaps.”

Despite the gears in his head turning in suspicion, he kept his cool, his smile unwavering.

**Afterschool**

The agenda for the rest of the day was to explore Mementos and find a link between that place and the materialized fragment.

_Well, that was the plan, but-_

Mira waited by the school’s entrance; her arms crossed as she felt an aching suspicion that she’ll need to clarify something with Akechi. Though she saw him in a better light, when it comes down to matters of the SGI, he needed to be more transparent with her at least.

_Or maybe I’m just finding excuses?_

She didn’t know why it bothered her so much. Maybe she didn’t want to find fault in him, or that she wanted to find a justifiable reason to disagree with her superior’s suspicions. The insider had long accepted she wasn’t sharp enough in an intuitive sense. But even she thought how he parried her questions was more than strange.

“Ah, Saito-san!”

Mira turned to find Tsukino waving at her.

“Tsukino-san,” Mira gave her a puzzled look. “Is there something wrong?”

“What are you doing, waiting out here?” her classmate grinned. “Don’t tell me, are you waiting for Akechi?”

“S-something like that,” the insider’s behaviour defaulted into her timid act. “I just need to speak to him about something.”

“Eeh…” Tsukino gave her a long stare, her eyes glinted in mischief. “Really, huh?”

“Yeah,” Mira nodded hesitantly, feeling her classmate’s pressing gaze.

“Well, Akechi-kun’s been held up by his fans you see,” the tall girl head-pointed at the school building. “You’ll have better luck trying again during class.”

Right before Mira could say a word, Tsukino smirked in an almost condescending manner.

_No, that’s not right. It’d be bad to assume she’s sizing me up or somethi-_

“By the way,” the tall girl added. “Don’t be so surprised if Akechi-kun gets a girlfriend anytime soon.”

“H-huh?”

_Okay, where did this come from exactly?_

“See ya, Saito-san~!”

Her classmate then disappeared into a corner somewhere, leaving Mira confused at Tsukino’s declaration.

_Why should I be surprised about something like that? The guy can do as he likes. It’s not my problem._

The agent massaged her temples, trying to get her head around the matter. She turned to her phone to check the time, then lifted her chin to the school’s building.

_I don’t have a lot of time left. If his fans are holding him up, maybe I’ll try tomorrow._

* * *

Upon her arrival at Shibuya, Mira contacted Tinders, plugging her ears with her earbuds; “I arrived at the station.”

 _“Oh good,”_ Tinders said on her phone. _“I’ll let our tech team run the bug on your phone.”_

“-Sorry, Tinders-san,” Mira began hesitantly. “But… are you sure that software could work in _that_ other world? It’s hard to get my head around it.”

 _“We’ll never know until we try, right?”_ she heard Thomas jump into the conversation.

 _“-Sorry, the phone’s on loud speaker at the moment,”_ Tinders added.

 _“-I could never understand how Northerners could make such complicated devices,”_ Cobe said in the background.

 _“Guys, settle down!”_ Tinders chided. _“And for goodness sake, Chamomile, don’t touch anything!”_

_They must be in Tokyo HQ by the sound of things._

_“Listen, Saito, if this experiment turns out to be a failure, I trust that whatever you’ll see and hear, you’ll report back to us as soon as you come back. Got it?”_

“Roger,” she said firmly.

 _“Good,”_ there was a long pause. _“-On my signal, activate that metaverse app. The tech crew will keep track of your movements through your phone. Got the app ready?”_

She switched her screen and turned to her app list, her thumb hovering over the red icon. The adrenalin slowly kicked in as her chest throbbed in anticipation.

“Ready,” the insider said.

_“Alright. Start at your own pace.”_

Taking in a deep breath, she activated the metaverse app; pressing the search history. Within a heartbeat, the world was tinted in red and all by the girl was left in the empty platform.

* * *

“…We lost her signal,” one of the admins declared.

“-impossible.”

The tech crew furiously clacked on their keys, analysing whatever data they could recover from their last link.

Beneath her stoic exterior, Linda was more than anxious for the girl’s safety. She was a good girl; someone who did her best for the interest of the team. Having spent a year and a half working with her, Linda was beginning to see what little regard Mira has for herself. The child didn’t see value in her own needs as she’d gladly bend backwards for their sake. That alone was enough for Linda to finally see where Daichi Saito was coming from. The second officer of Tokyo HQ’s admin sector acted a little too overprotective over his granddaughter, in his own way.

The few members of her operative turned to each other nervously. Cobe on the other hand, remained calm as ever.

Adjacent to the lieutenant stood the hawk-eyed Teru Saito, Mira’s uncle and an officer of international affairs. His perigrine gaze darted at Linda, his seething anger apparent beneath his controlled expression.

“Lieutenant Tinders,” he said sternly. “Remember our deal. If anything were to happen to her, you will be held accountable for any repercussions.”

“Understood,” Linda made a curt nod.

Cobe stood up as he solemnly said to the officer; “Have faith in your niece, sir. She may not be as powerful as us, but I believe Mira is not the type who would lose without a fight.”

Teru Saito furrowed his brow at Cobe before he turned his head away, clenching his fists tighter.

 _Mira,_ Linda thought. _Hang in there._

* * *

Mira’s clothes had changed. That was the first thing she noted each time she entered Mementos. In place of her uniform were the white garbs and her school bag seemed to have disappeared from her shoulder.

The oddities of this world left her to conclude that common logic might not apply here.

_I wonder if this was how Alice felt._

Even Mira would have to admit she was secretly excited at the prospect of experiencing one of SGI’s fabled rabbit hole phenomenon. Though the organisation has an entire archive section dedicated to these situations, to experience it first hand was said to be a one out of hundred chance.

She raised her phone to her view to see there was no signal. Without further ado, the agent took her strides down to the end of the platform, hopping off into the railway. She made a few notes based on her current observations:

First, if there was an item from her bag she needed, it materialised at the will of her own mind. However, she can only produce items that she brought with her, so creating things from thin air was impossible.

Second, the gravity of this place was buoyant, enough to make her feel light-headed with each passing step.

Third? There are creatures that roam within this realm. Masses of black blob-like creatures with multiple arms and masks smattered across its body. So far, there were no anomaly fragments coming her way.

In her hand, she found herself holding the very same pole-arm she attained alongside those strange powers. Lifting it into view, she began to swing around it to feel its weight. She didn’t know why, but she found herself feeling a little more confident in herself, a little proud even. Contrary to the dimly lit world around her, she mood was surprisingly lighter too.

_Let’s not get ahead of ourselves._

She paced her steps around the labyrinth, keeping track of her pace and distance from the platform. The insider checked her phone from time to time to see if other apps were working, only to find all but the red app were disabled. The railways on the floor turns and bends in an unending line; until she found herself seeing another platform not far from where she stood. She turned her back to the path from which she came, a strong wind billowed from the mouth of its tunnel.

_That platform certainly wasn’t there before._

Mira climbed onto the platform, her pen and notebook in hand and started to write her observations. At the end of the platform were a set of unmoving escalators, immobile, frozen in place.

“Another layer?” she peaked over to bottom of the frozen mechanical stairs. The steps were as steep as other escalators were in the other world, but the bottom floor was poorly lit with threats of red glowing on its surface.

She took a deep breath, braving the next layer down and was met with the sight of another horseshoe platform. In the mouth of the platform lead out into another void and a new set of railway tracks. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of the roaming monsters, making her stop to think about her next set of choices.

_-It might be best not to continue for now._

She wasn’t adequately prepared for a proper ‘subjugation’ mission, just a mere clean sweep around this unknown area. The girl ascended the stair and began to retrace her steps. The minute she arrived however, the path before her looked different. Not a single trace of a familiar landmark remained.

_Don’t tell me- did the area just change?_

She’s heard of reports of never-ending labyrinths that shifts its exits and walls at a drop of a hat. Ones that were designed to make sure not a single person who entered is able to escape. The last time she left Mementos was easy because she was close to the platform towards the exit.

But this time there was no Jose to help guide her out of that place.

“Aurgh!” she clawed at her head at her slow-wit. “I messed up!”

_I should have noticed it sooner!_

The agent furiously marked the pages in big words of this important detail before she pressed forward into the unknown. She followed the tracks, thinking perhaps it may lead her to some tangible clue to get her out of here.

Every step further from her last marker ate away her confidence; uncertainty creeping up her back once more.

 _No,_ she shook her head. _You got out last time, you can find a way out of this._

She clutched at the puff sleeve on her arm, mind racing as she did her best to will away the growing anxiety.

_This is a mission, Mira. No use acting like an amateur._

Her spine stretched upright with every step, remembering old words that taught her one her old coping mechanisms. _‘You fake it until you make it.’_

If she could act confident long enough, maybe her tensions will eventually become miniscule. Not always the best advice, but at this point, anything was better than to succumb to the void within her.

That thought alone brought her back to the night she saw the giantess. A red, flower-faced figure with petals for its skirt and a rifle in its hands. It was the first time she’s ever felt power surging within herself; unwavering and unabashed to command it from the will of her own heart.

_I wonder if I could use that power again-_

At the same time, she feared it; afraid to become loose and placid towards her own convictions.

**_“Losing your sense of self?”_ **

_Yeah,_ she thought.

**_“Getting lost while being in character won’t do you any favours, you know.”_ **

_I know that better than anyone else._

The voice that spoke inside her head laughed haughtily.

Eventually, her patience proved to be rewarded after following the tracks for a long while, for the road forked into two different directions. Across one path, a trail of small, yellow orbs floated at the centre of the track’s planks.

 _Might as well see what those are,_ she decided.

The girl turned left and approached the orbs, surprised to find flowers trapped within them. If memory served her well, she did recall Jose’s request to find flowers within this mind-bending labyrinth. She crouched before one of the giant spheres to see a bundle of generic looking yellow flowers.

“So, these are what he meant,” she mused.

She stretched out her hand to the clear orbs, only for her finger burst its thin barrier open as a flower fell into her hands. There was no sign of Jose within her vantage, but having remembered what that grey boy did for her, she’d might as well follow his request. It was better to do that than to lose that void, whilst getting lost within the labyrinth. Her steps followed the floating spheres, collecting each flower as she fought the back the impending dread in the back of her mind.

The trail itself eventually led her to another familiar sight.

Before her stood a warping wall, its patterns swirled in a kaleidoscope of black and red. Mira turned her head back, her eyes following the tracks on floor; only for it to bend and twist into the other side of the distorted barrier. The insider immediately grabbed her notebook and pen, scratching her notes on the pages. Once she was done, she took a deep breath, her fingers splayed out to touch the warping wall, only for it to pass through it.

 _Huh._ She blinked.

She pushed her hand right through it, realising the wall was nothing more than curious partition that divided itself away from the labyrinth. The insider then braved her way through the barrier to see an enclosed area. The vines on the walls resembled thick, red cables that pulsed at a pace of a heartbeat. Further away from the entrance, the floor was riddled with those thick cabled vines; all tangled up in a heap.

At the farthest end of the room, she could barely make out what stood at the centre of those vines.

_Is that- a person?_

It was hard to tell, for the room was big and the dim lights make it hard to distinguish the figure’s silhouette. She took a step closer, hoping to get a better look at the figure until a heavy hand gripped her shoulder from behind.

“Not a step closer.”

A shining blue blade crossed her view as it hung close to her throat.

_That voice._

“Who are you,” he commanded. “What business do you have here?”

With the will her mind, the pole arm materialises in her hand and struck her opponent from behind. The impact loosened his hold of her, lowering his weapon, allowing her to turn around to face her opponent.

Before her stood a figure wearing a red, long-nosed mask, dressed in a princely-white regalia embellished in accents of gold and red. She gripped her staff across the length of her body to a defensive stance.

“No answer, huh,” the masked man said in a cold but familiar, smooth intonation.

 _No way. There’s no way._ She willed herself to calm down, while begging herself to be wrong in her suspicions. But how could she deny the possibility when the stranger before her spoke to her in _that_ voice in _that_ confident and cocky way.

“Akechi?”

He flinched; his guarded stance now loosened the minute after she spoke. He removed the mask off his face to reveal a pair of vermillion eyes she had come to trust over the past month. The mere sight of him standing before her in a place like this had her breath caught in her throat.

“Show yourself,” he said.

With her entire face hiding behind a mask and a white hood covering most of her head, she couldn’t blame him if he didn’t recognise her. Seeing that there was no reason to hide, she slipped off her mask. The girl didn’t miss the small twitch of surprise as his lips fell into a devasted frown.

Without another word, he grabbed her hand and dragged her back out of the warping barrier and back into the labyrinth. Just as she’d expect him to stop right there, instead he persisted in dragging her along, his steps hastened and more or less, unrelenting.

“Where are you taking me?” she demanded.

No response.

“Akechi, where are you taking me?” she asked again.

All but the sound of their echoing footsteps filled the air.

Irritated at his silent treatment, she forcibly stopped walking, but his grip was too strong on her that she fumbled the following steps. His steps grew impatient and merciless with each failed attempt at trying to pull away.

“Let go,” she said.

“No.”

“I said let go!”

“Not until we reach the exit.”

“Tch,” she clicked her tongue. Using her fingernail on her thumb, she scratched his gripping hand.

“Ow!” he released her hand the second she dug into his skin.

The insider folder her arms away from his reach to avoid his grip.

“Don’t make this harder than it already is,” he flicked his scratched hand to lessen the pain.

“Akechi. What are you doing here, of all places?” Mira angrily said.

This time the detective made a frustrated sigh, “I should be the one asking you that. But now’s not the time.”

“You know something about this place?”

“Yes, Saito. I l know everything there is to know about this place. But, again. This is not the time or place to be asking these stupid questions right now!”

“That’s not-”

“Shh!”

He cocked his head over to empty tracks behind him. It was hard to tell with his mask on, but she assumed he might have noticed something was coming.

“Come with me,” he said.

“Not until you explain yourself.”

“That wasn’t a request,” he grabbed her wrist once more and hurriedly led them into a niche opening on one of the walls. Having to forcibly put her there, she opened her moth in protest, only to have her classmate put a finger to his lips as he joined her.

With his back turned towards her, she could tell what he was thinking.

Seconds after, another of those wandering creatures crossed their view. Its body turned from side to side; with its multiple masks on its body, it was difficult to distinguish where their eyes could have been. Mira held her breath, realising what might have happened if Akechi hadn’t dragged them in there to hide.

The moment the creature disappeared from view, both of them sighed in relief.

“I suspected this might happen.”

“Huh?” she gave him a dubious glare. “What do you mean?”

“Earlier, during lunchtime. I saw that app on your phone,” he began. “Either you were lying to me that you knew nothing about it; or, by some twist of fate, it came to you.”

“Ah, no Akechi. I don’t know what you’re talking about. Believe me.”

“-the latter then,” he sighed, shaking his head. “To think it would come to this.”

Mira soured, crossing her arms at his statement; “Start talking. Just so you know, I’m in the middle of an important mission and any form of intel on this place will be useful right now.”

He paused for a moment, “Why not start with how much _you_ know before I waste my words? I think that spares us the energy; wouldn’t you agree?”

She pressed the bridge of her nose to stamp out the impending headache. She reluctantly reiterated her encounter with Mementos, Jose’s explanation and the anomaly fragment she had found. She didn’t miss the detail where she had gained a strange ability along the way.

“And no one else in your group was able to gain access to this place?” he asked.

“No, just me. I brought it up to one of our IT folks and said the app’s software couldn’t be decrypted for analysis.”

“That’s not a surprise,” her classmate scoffed. “It’ll be impossible to decrypt an app that leads you into a cognitive world after all.”

“-I’ve told you what I know. So it’s about time you start explaining yourself.”

The boy stepped out of the niche, gesturing for her to follow him.

“As you have been informed, this is the realm of the collective unconscious; a physical manifestation of our society’s cognition. If you pried deep enough, you’ll likely find a cognitive version of people you’ve met within these halls. Because this is the cognitive world, everything that affects a great mass of people’s cognition easily affects what happens here Mementos.”

“Then those monsters with those arms and masks-”

“They’re known as shadows, Saito. They are one of the physical manifestations of society’s cognitions. You were smart enough to steer clear away from them before, there’s no telling what would happen if you were made to face one of them.”

“Shadows,” she murmured, her head ticking with cluttered thoughts. “This is… how long have you known about this place?”

“Long enough to know you’re not experienced to be aware of what you just stumbled into,” he said tilting his head towards the pathway. “With that said, I think it’d be best we call it a day and return.”

“Wait,” she pinched the corner of his sleeve before he took a step forward. “Then. The fragments. These shadows. If you knew about this world, then you- you would have known about those fragments roaming around this place then. Why haven’t you said anything about this place? The minute you knew about our operative’s agenda, that could only mean you must have known-”

“Slow down, Saito,” he raised his hands up. “I can’t answer everything at once.”

“But-!”

Within her periphery, she saw one of those shadows he described bulldozed its way towards them. Akechi’s eyes followed her gaze.

“Tch,” he turned his body towards the impending shadow. “Saito, either you go and find a place to hide or stand your ground.”

“H-huh?”

The creature’s body bursts its giant mass, and out of it came three monsters, all of which had flower heads, pink skin and root-like arms and legs. The very sight of them had Mira baffled.

“A-A mandrake root?!” she said without thinking.

“Heh,” the detective smirked. “Small fry.”

He tore his mask from his face and threw it up in the air. The mask burned into blue flames; with it, he summoned a giant apparition. The giant stood valiantly, armed with a golden feathered bow, its face bearing a semblance to a mecha robot’s head. At its chest wrote the English letters of “RB” inverted, likened to those western comic book heroes.

“Now, Robin!” he commanded.

Within a flash, the giant drew back its bow and released it, sending a shockwave of power; effectively decimating all three mandrake creatures within one shot.

Everything happened so fast, it took her seconds to realise what had been done. The immense power she witnessed. The creatures that now looked helpless before her classmate. She turned to Akechi, and saw a ghost of a sneering grin on his face.

_He looked like… he enjoyed that._

Suddenly everything she thought she knew about him felt distant. A façade that bears the face of the smug, talented idol detective. A side she might have known, but never really understood.

“We’re done here,” he said coldly, turning his back towards his fallen foes.

“Wha… Akechi- I,” she tried to speak, but what came out were incoherent voices.

“What’s wrong Saito? Cat got your tongue?”

Her lips were pressed into a thin line.

“Come on, let’s go.”

The path before then remained dim and ominous as the insider followed him as he navigated them around the area. Neither of them said a word as the questions continue to pile up in her head.

What was he thinking?

Was he secretly endowed?

What was that power he used?

Was it similar to what she had first encountered?

How long before they could even reach the exit to this place?

Why did he-

“I’ll spare you the lengthier explanations later, Saito,” his words broke her out of her reverie. “For now, it’s better we head over to a safer location.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You didn’t. But it’s only natural to assume you’d have questions for me.”

“Hmph,” she crossed her arms. “Don’t get too cocky.”

The boy chuckled at her pouting.

Seeing him like had her thinking about how much she really knew of him. There was no shortage of personalities she hadn’t met, but something about that fight had her concerned. Something about that side of him felt… off. Something about it didn’t sit well with her.

Her head was crowded with so many thoughts, she failed to notice something warming the centre of her chest. The minute the heat of it got too strong, she winced, laying her hand towards the source of the heat. She tugged at the spirit stone that hung around her neck.

_Why is it-_

Cobe’s words echoed in her mind at the realisation;

_“-remember this, Mira. When this heats up, it means there’s a greater danger nearby. If you can help it, run away. Do not engage with it. If you do-”_

She touched the surface if the crystal; its light emitted a radiant heat. Mira’s eyes immediately scanned their perimeter, searching for the impending danger within their midst. Just as the thought occurred, her skin felt a paranormal chill; the air stagnant.

“…Akechi,” she slowly said. “How far are we from the exit?”

“Not too far off,” he answered. “Why?”

Removing the mask off her face, she gave him a mortified look.

“There’s… a fragment nearby.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Headcanon: Akechi also has the same perceptive eye that Igor gave to the Protagonist. Which I will eventually address in the next chapter.
> 
> Edit at 25/09/2020:  
> Mistakes are made, and assessments won't give me the chance to breath. Don't worry guys, I'm still rewriting this piece, but when I see a conflicting or jarring piece within the chapter, it takes a while for me to rethink of a more improved version of it. With my assessments at stake, the time it takes to do so is even slower. (sorry)  
> With that out of the way, I realise grammar will still come off jarring on some areas, but I'll do my best.


	16. Omen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rewritten/edited chapter updated at 26/09/2020

Their breaths fogged with every hastened stepped as the air grew colder.

Goro held Saito’s hand as he navigated their escape route.

He realised it too late that he had grown rather complacent around Saito’s presence. Forgetting that she was a spy before she was his classmate and temporary assistant. Of course, she’d eventually discover the cognitive world. Now it was only a matter of time before she’ll discover the methods, he used to instil those breakdown incidents.

_And if she knew, what then?_

There was no time to think, so he pushed his concerns aside and used his perceptive eye; an ability gifted to him along with the meta nav app. The moment he turned a corner, he sensed another presence behind them in hot pursuit.

Saito grabbed the pendant that hung around her neck, stopping in her tracks.

“Saito! What are you-”

She turned her back towards him. Goro raised his gaze to the tunnel and saw a wraith-like creature swooping down towards his classmate.

“DEFLECT!” she screamed.

Light bursts from her clenching hand; with it, the creature in pursuit was throttled back. The boy had no time for assess what had just happened and grabbed her hand once more to drag her for another run.

“That’s the fragment you were looking for?” he huffed his question with each hurried step.

“Unfortunately.”

“I thought you and your team had a method of dealing with them.”

“Not when those things have a physical form like this! I’m just an insider, remember? Only the specialists of my team are capable of-”

He felt the creature coming in for another decisive blow, heading straight towards his classmate.

“ROBIN!” he commanded, seconds pass and his persona jumped in the way between Saito and the creature.

The two entities clashed, as Robin brought forth one of its lethal attacks into the apparition. A torrent of power exploded on the creature, sending a powerful shockwave within its circumference.

Saito tugged the necklace off her neck, clenching it in her fist with a cry; “SHIELD!”

A wave of warm light engulfed them; blocking the effects of his persona’s attacks. Goro, having witnessed the strange power she held, traced her profile with his eyes; questions piling in his mind.

The barrier of light began to show hairline cracks. His classmate cussed under her breath; clenching her fist even tighter. The minute the shockwave died out, the light barrier disappears; and to her apparent horror, the shrouded creature appeared unscathed.

“It’s… gotten stronger…” she muttered.

He couldn’t help but lifted a corner of his mouth at their predicament; “That thing doesn’t know how to die, it seems.”

Their options were limited. If they ran, there’s a chance it’ll kill them before they could reach the exit. If they stayed and fight-

_No. Fighting’s the only option here._

“Sso,” the apparition hissed. “wE mEEt aGAin. ChilD oF MaN. hehEHehEHe…”

The girl flinched and shuddered.

“YouR litTLe tRinKet wON’t hoLd a CanDle aGAINsst me hERe.”

With the shroud currently distracted, Goro summoned his persona;

“Hamaon!” he commanded.

Robin drew back its bow and pierces the shroud, sending another shockwave of power upon impact. A cloud of debris fogs their sights until the apparition swooped down at the boy at an incomprehensible speed.

Within a flash of a second, one of the apparition’s fraying hems touched him. What followed was a flash of jumbled thoughts, memories and emotions; ones that were akin to a state of madness. Its black tendrils ensnared his surrounds as it slowly enveloped him. Visions of his tainted memories flurried in his mind’s eye until-

“AKECHI!”

Saito’s cry snapped him back to his senses as she stabbed her staff right into the creature’s side; loosening its hold on him. At the end of her weapon, dangled her pendant, its jagged surface was smeared with blood.

“Are you alright?!” she asked in a half-panic, holding the creature in place with the end of her weapon.

“Somewhat…” he found himself shuddering, but shook his head in frustration.

“Don’t let this thing touch you,” she said aloud, thrusting the weapon at the creature’s chest till it shrieked. “There’s no telling what’ll happen if you do!”

“No need to tell me!”

A hand emerged from the smog-draped figure; its shrivelled fingers wrapped itself around Saito’s weapon. In panic, she retreated, releasing her hold over the creature. The apparition then flew metres away from where they stood.

“Dammit,” she cursed.

“How were you able to defeat this thing? Any weaknesses?” he asked.

“It’s my teammates’ abilities that allowed them to defeat this thing,” she gritted her teeth. “But even then, these fragments didn’t have physical bodies-”

_If these fragments possess people’s bodies by manipulating their psyche then-!_

It seemed Saito came to the same conclusion.

“Shoot,” she clicked her tongue. “I just realised-”

“-The physical manifestation of the people’s cognition allows them to gain a physical body,” he concluded.

Saito nodded.

“In other words, there’s room screwing around with this thing.” He raised his blue blade into a stance. “Wonderful. Then I take it there are no weaknesses either.”

She shuffled to the side, holding her staff into a defensive position. With every movement she made, the creature’s head seemed to be following her. Goro started to think. Apart from the fragment’s attack on him earlier, since their first encounter, the creature had been focusing on Saito in almost every given turn.

_Is it because it sensed she was weaker?_

Within his periphery, he sensed a shadow wandering its way towards them. In seconds he struck a plan after a single thought.

“Saito,” he said. “I take it you’ve awakened to a persona, correct?”

“Huh? Persona?”

“Unless that attire was bought from some cheap variety shop, I’d assume you’ve awakened to your persona at some point.”

With a little hesitation, she made a doleful nod.

His voice lowered with the following words; “Do you trust me, Saito?”

Her masked face glanced at him; “-What’s the plan?”

“Are you willing to be the bait in this fight?”

“…Heh,” she scoffed confidently. “Don’t screw this up, detective.”

She changed her stance, one foot forward, one foot back as she holds her staff at the centre with her two hands. The detective could barely remember the last time he fought one of these shrouds. But even he knew his last win against it was no more than a fluke if it truly was as powerful as Saito described it. He had to trust with the best of her capabilities.

With a quick nod, his classmate lunged forward and straight towards the apparition; her staff ready to strike at her opponent. The fragment creature’s wispy tendrils splayed into a web, ready to ensare her into a trap.

“FLARE!” she cried. Once more, the pendant glowed a burning light; fire eruption at the end of her staff as she swung at her opponent. The weapon clanged upon impact; and in the midst of this, one hand released her grip on the polearm and reached for her mask.

Upon unmasking her face revealed a cold, but determined expression as the mask itself burst into her persona. A red-flower faced doll, dressed in giant petals for its skirt stood proudly behind its summoner.

“Marguerite!” she cried, to which the automaton fires its shot, then used its giant body as her shield.

After making certain of her ability to endure the shadow’s attacks, he turned his attention to the shadow that now caught sight of him. The multi-armed creature blindly ran head first towards him and almost immediately, its giant mass exploded into three pumpkin headed monsters, all carrying lanterns. He summoned Loki in secret, commanded a spell onto all three jack-o’-lanterns; cursing them into becoming mindless, rampant beasts.

He cocked his head towards Saito, who’s limbs now shuddered with every parried blow.

“Now Saito!” he shouted as he baited the maddened shadows towards the wraith.

The girl nodded, grabbed the dangling jewel from the end of her staff and uttered inaudible words. Goro reached her side fast enough to block another shadowed tendril from reaching her with his sword. Her pendant flashed; another light barrier summoned as the psychotic shadows lunged to attack anything within their sights. The apparition realised too late what was happening as the three jack-o’-lanterns sprang on top of fragment creature.

The detective head-pointed towards the direction of the exit at Saito, signalling for a retreat. The girl didn’t protest as they started to jog away from the scene. And yet, despite the successes to the detective’s plan, the unthinkable happens.

Rather than being overwhelmed by the shadow’s ambush, the wraithed creature grabbed hold of one of the pumpkin heads and enveloped its fraying tendrils around it.

_What?!_

Goro could believe his eyes as the creature devoured the shadow monster whole. Saito watched in horror; her hands clapped over her mask-covered mouth as she gasped.

Once the wraith had their fill with it, the creature released the pumpkin head from its grasp. The Jack-o’-lantern’s movements suddenly turned into a hollow puppet. With a hiss of the fragment’s command, the shadow started to attack the other rampant ones in a hollow frenzy.

The fragment’s rattling laughter echoed across the halls.

“So ThE sEEkeR has graCED mE wiTh his pREsSEnCe,” it sneered, then turned to Saito. “ChIlD of mANy naMES… YouR pRESenCE haS bECoME a NUisSaNce in ThISs gaME.”

Goro narrowed his eyes. “What exactly are you talking about?”

“InTERfERE aND tHErE aRE ConsEQuenCEsSs.”

He didn’t miss the shudder on Saito’s shoulders, her grip on her staff trembled.

“Enough with the riddles and talk,” she pointed the end of her staff at the creature. “How did you come here? And what game are you playing at, involving the lives of ordinary people?!”

“IT seemsSs yoU are stILl aSking the wroNG qUeSTIonSSs.” -then the creature laughed, its voice transitioned into a feminine tone- “ISn’T that right, Koharu?”

His classmate flinched at the sound of that name; hands gripped tighter till a small trickle of blood dripped from her hand.

The detective stepped up, pointing his blade at the creature. “What business does a ghost have with this game?”

“NoTHinG oF bIGGer coNSEQUEnceSs,” it replied, its voice reverted back into its incoherent noise. “We mERelY plaCE oUr bETs ontO yoUR vICtory, SeEEker.”

“And what exactly is this game you’re talking about?”

The fragment laughed once more, never answering his question as it slowly dissipates into nothingness. Not soon after, the shadow that was under its influence collapsed as well; its body crumbling into dust.

* * *

Mira collapsed to her knees; her body shuddering uncontrollably.

_‘Koharu.’_

_No._

_‘Koharu-chan’_

_Stop it._

A mere echo of her name in her mother’s voice bled out the memories of her weaker, childish self. A smiling mother towards her husband and a disappointed frown towards her.

_Please stop._

Cold eyes stared down at her, towering over her. The girl reached for her ears to claw at them as her mother locked the door.

_‘You failed again, haven’t you?’_

_STOP IT!_

“Saito.”

The agent raised her head to find Akechi crouching down beside her.

“It’s over, Saito,” he softly spoke. “The fragment’s gone.”

Her hands twitched as she slowly let them fall to her sides. Her gaze turned to where the fragment had been, confirming her classmate’s words. It took a minute to realise her white garbs had reverted back into her uniform. Vestiges of adrenalin from their earlier fight left her shivering from fatigue. Before she knew it, her eyes stung as her vision blurred with her tears.

She cursed under her breath as she rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. “Why am I-? Dammit.”

Mira felt Akechi’s gaze weighing on her, probably confused or irritated at the sight of her tearing up over something irrational. Yet, contrary to her assumptions, instead, his warm hand reached for her cold calloused hand and turned it over to reveal her bleeding palm.

His vermillion eyes narrowed at the sight of the wound as he held the back of her hand with such delicate care. Her classmate muttered something under his breath. The giant above him brought out a strange light and within a matter of seconds, her bleeding hand closed its wounds till there was no trace of a scar.

“How?” she gaped.

“It’s the cognitive world,” he said nonchalantly as he stood. “If you follow by this principle, you could even take a one pill from a cold medicine and instantly get healed within an instant.”

_This world is capable of that?!_

“Come on,” he tugged her hand to have her stand up. “We still have a long way to go before the exit.”

Once more, silence fell between them as the sound of scraping of dust over concrete echoed with every step. Her gaze traced her classmate’s back down to the warm hand that linked with hers. She expected him to ask questions, just as he’d have answers to her own. And yet, he spared her from making things more awkward than it already was by keeping his silent.

She wondered if he sensed her unease by the small tremors on her hands beneath his grip. It was difficult to discern. From the sneer of his expression in that fight, to the coldness of his intonations; there was something about this version of Akechi that felt strange. This was the same Goro Akechi who now held her hand with a tight, yet delicate grip.

So many questions continued to pile up as they walked.

How long had he always known about this place?

What do they mean by ‘this game’?

Why did the fragment call him seeker?

With every question she posed in her mind, she was easily distracted by the warmth of his fingers and the gentle tug that silently brought her out of her reverie.

_Why is he always like this to me?_

The insider had gotten so used getting to know a person through a profile report, for the first time in a long time, she found herself in the dark of things. She didn’t know who this person was in front of her. To read about him and his past was different from interacting with him. No amount of questions would satiate the burden of not knowing what drives him to these lengths. He says he has a bone to pick with his father, but he could have done it without the commentaries, the small teasing, or even the effort of staying behind to listen to her ramblings.

And for many strange reasons, she found herself welcoming that.

Her gaze fell to the warm hand that linked with hers. She didn’t mind it at first, but as the seconds followed, she slowly grew self-conscious. Unlike her calloused fingers, formed from the years of training in hand-to-hand combat and carrying heavy devices; his hand was softer, yet held a strong grip.

 _Should I bring it up?_ She pondered. _Or is he the secretly one of those types who don’t mind skin-ship between friends._

Another thought came to mind.

Holding her hand. Speaking his mind. Always pointing out where and what was wrong, but knew how to tolerate her own troubling personality. Recounting over the course of their exchanges made her think a little more about the gap between them.

_Do I consider him my friend? Is this what friends do?_

The only version of friendships she’s ever known were the ones she sees from a distance. Insiders like her only interact with others for the benefit of intel gathering within this saturated world of information. The mere thought of romantic relationships seemed even more foreign to her.

“…Stupid question,” she hesitantly began.

“Hm?”

“Are we-”

_Nope. That’s a stupid thing to ask._

“Never mind,” she shook her head.

“-Are we what, Saito?” he asked as they reached the stairs of the station.

“Forget I brought it up.”

He stopped halfway through the steps; his fingers let go of her hand as he turned around to face her. With his mask on, it was hard to tell what he was thinking. “I don’t like it when someone starts a conversation half-heartedly and not finish their sentence. So, tell me, Saito. I’m dying to know what you’re trying to say.”

“Irk,” she turned her head away, wanting to dig a hole and hide. “It’s… a really stupid question.”

“I’ll be the judge of that until you say it.”

“…Are we- We’re friends…right?”

The question caught him off guard. “That’s a strange question to ask after we barely managed to escape with our lives.”

“Argh!” the girl covered her face with her hands. “Sorry, forget I asked!”

Once again, she felt his gaze over her as she seethed in embarrassment. Akechi scoffed, chuckling at her. Mira retreated her hands and was surprised to find a smile gracing his lips; eyes baring a mellow gaze.

“What am I to do with you,” he shook his head, his smile not faltering. “I don’t know Saito. What do you want us to be, then?”

“I… I,” she bit her lip, her heart thumping beneath her chest as she took a deep breath. “For the longest time, I’ve never really had a proper relationship with anyone outside of the SGI. -I mean, I’ve… never had real friends before- before, at all… So- well, that is…”

 _What am I doing?_ Her brain panicked as her words deflated with every syllable.

Akechi took a step down, their gap between them now almost toe to toe between them.

 _Too close!_ She took a step back to make some distance between them.

“I might be over stepping my boundaries,” he began. “But I guess now would be a good opportunity to address the elephant in the room.”

He removed his mask; his eyes reflected a strong determination.

“Go out with me.”

It took seconds for Mira to register his words. Before her, the detective stood there confidently with a smile. It was neither his fake, princely smile, nor was it his cynical one. But one that seemed to exude an unrivalled confidence in whatever outcome he’d get.

“W-wait,” she stuttered, her cheeks beginning to flare. “I only asked if we were friends, what does this have to-”

“Yes, I’m wondering about that too,” he held his chin as if the subject didn’t matter to him. “Odd how things could escalate to this.”

The girl soured at his words, feeling the heat cooling down in her brain.

“-If you’re just saying this to make fun of me, I’m leaving,” she wove around his presence as she resumed to climb the stairs.

“And what if I’m not?”

She paused, turning her head towards him.

“What if I’m actually serious?” he smirked. “What would you say?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she crossed her arms as she twisted her body to face him. “Akechi, I haven’t figured myself out- I doubt you even liked me in that way. Heck, I don’t even know what _this_ is between us.”

“Which is why, I don’t think it’s a bad deal,” he shrugged. “It doesn’t have to be romantic, Saito. Just think of it as an opportunity to get to know each other.”

“With my position? I’d make a terrible girlfriend,” she retorted. “I’ll always be busy.”

“What a coincidence. As it happens, my position as an ace detective won’t always allow me the time to cater to a needy girlfriend either.”

“…My face is plain.”

“Good. That way, I don’t have to worry about other men going after you.”

She looked at him incredulously. “I can’t believe you,” -she pinched the bridge of her nose, shaking her head- “I’ve got a boring personality. You’d get tired of me eventually.”

“Then I suppose we’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” his smile grew smug. “Saito. Even if you said no, we’ll still end up seeing each other frequently. So, there’s no point fretting over this. For now, I’ll be waiting for your answer when you’re ready.”

Without waiting for her reply, Akechi resumed to climb the steps, leaving Mira’s head polluted with noisy thoughts.

_Is he actually serious?!_

The agent shook her head, trailing behind her classmate as she forced herself to focus back to the tasks at hand.

_Don’t ruminate over it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Too rushed?  
> So... I had to rewrite this chapter over and over and I still don't think I've adequately drafted this chapter properly  
> And each time I did, it got either too dark or too angsty, so I had to settle for a more balanced outcome.  
> By the way, I am in the middle of writing an assessment, so expect that the next chapter might not come around too soon.
> 
> EDIT: and I had to rewrite the rewrite and I gotta thank my bro for issues he pointed out. I hope this one isn't as abrupt and brash as the previous versions.


	17. Questions in need of Answers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter rewritten updated at 21/11/2020  
> I'm back and still in the rewriting process. Sorry to those I've kept waiting, there were so many issues I had to fix now that the events prior to this chapter were altered. That, and proof that my brother and I share the same braincell. When he writes, I get stumped. When I write, he gets stumped. XD This chapter will be lore-heavy and dialogue heavy.

**May 1 20XX**

**Morning**

“Again!”

“Okay!”

Mira tightly wound her fingers around her practice staff, her left hand’s grip slightly loose as she began to swing. Turning up her wrists, she struck at a balanced weight against her instructor’s own weapon.

Reina twisted her grip with every parry, clacking of sticks striking against each other reverberated the walls within the small expanse of space. Just as Mira had gotten used to the strikes from above, Reina slides her staff to strike low, to which the insider reciprocated to parry the attack. The two repeated the process, striking high, low and sometimes to the side.

Mira’s back was drenched in sweat, feeling the urgency of the impending stakes they were currently in. Ever since her last visit to Mementos, her weaknesses have been laid bare before her. The expedition within that world was a complete failure. Not only did HQ fail to collect the necessary data, the entire mission had wasted everyone’s time.

Other-worldly explorations were one of the many things the organisation took seriously. To bear little to no results from that mission made the insider feel utterly frustrated at herself. Then there was the issue of her lack of strength to be able to defend herself within that place.

Vestiges of the fragment’s words continued to haunt her, taunting her during the times when she wasn’t doing anything.

Mira gritted her teeth, ducking at Reina’s strike and immediately aimed for her trainer’s leg. Reina easily blocked her strike; in turn, the raven girl hooked her foot around Mira’s ankle and shoved; bringing the insider to the ground.

Mira picked herself up, automatically posed into her attacking position. The raven girl took her stance, resuming their duel. In the midst of the action, memories of Koharu flooded her thoughts.

* * *

_“You must not weep, if you are obedient,” her mother said sweetly. “Never show mercy towards your enemies.”_

_“But… Oka-san, Koharu is-”_

_“-You will address me as ‘Sir’,” the woman interjected, contrary to her sweet tone; her cold gaze towered over her. “For as long as you are Koharu, you are not my child.”_

* * *

Reina struck her by the wrist, tearing Mira’s thoughts back to the present; sliding her right hand to switch her main grip to her left for a counterstrike. Her sparring partner was quick to block Mira’s attack, whipping her pole arm to her side.

“Enough,” the raven girl ordered, twisting her staff on a resting position. “Take a break.”

Mira huffed with every breath, grabbing a towel to wipe off the sweat. She looked at her senior, poised and calm as though their sparring never happened.

“I’ve said this before on our first training session,” Reina remarked. “But your stature will always remain a detriment if you’re to face bigger opponents. If you can avoid conflict, run. If not, you’ll have to rely on a tactical surprise to keep them off guard.”

“-Even after years of training?” Mira asked, gulping the contents from her bottle.

“No amount of training can tantamount the risks of a surprise attack,” the senior shook her head. “This country, compared to Berene, is relatively devoid of physical dangers. I can see how an environment like this easily softens any battle-hardened warrior.”

Reina’s eyes fell to the ground, as if she were contemplating on something.

“What is it, Reina-san?” Mira asked.

“…The fragment you found there. Did it- touch you, by any chance?”

The junior detective’s eyes widened a little before she lowered her head to a small nod.

The raven girl frowned as she sat down on the floor against the wall. “…How many times?”

“…Twice.”

Reina clicked her tongue and shook her head. “If Cobe hasn’t said anything, then I guess that means you haven’t been corrupted by _that_ thing then.”

“‘That’? Do you mean the fragments?”

She nodded.

Mira was then reminded of Reina’s circumstances, as she had read from her profile. A survivor of Dark Matter’s possession, and to this day, she still carries the fragment inside of her. A mere touch from those fragments brought out memories Mira didn’t want to remember. Things she wanted to forget; voices she didn’t want to hear. A maddening, emotionally charged attack that disrupts the mind and making a person immobile. Cobe told her the effects differ from person to person, but to experience a mere scrape of them was already agonising enough.

“…Does it hurt? Being a fragment carrier, I mean.” Mira asked before she realised the weight of her question.

The raven girl squinted at the ground; a hand clenched on her knee. “I’ve lived with it, for all my life. So I can’t really answer your question if I don’t really know what it’s like to not have it.”

“Oh,” Mira realised. “Sorry, Reina-san. I shouldn’t have imposed-”

“It’s only natural to ask,” Reina rested her back against the wall, eyes remained downcast. “It’s just something too difficult to explain to someone who doesn’t know.” -she paused with a thoughtful expression- “…Hollowness. Vengeful. Anger… Pain. Sometimes it hurts to feel anything; like you’re punished for it. At times I wonder whether these feelings are my own, or Dark Matter’s influence. I don’t know. It comes to a point where you’re afraid to feel anything…”

Her senior's voice dwindled; smoothening her hands over to her upper arms as if to console herself. The insider couldn’t tell what Reina had meant by ‘pain’. Do the effects of these anomaly fragments involve physical pain or emotional pain? Mira eyed the bandages that hid behind the raven girl's sleeves. It was only then did she realise her senior always had her upper arms wrapped in bandages.

_Is that what it means to be corrupted?_

She wanted ask for more, but Reina seemed less enthusiastic to elaborate.

“I read your report. I know Linda calls the shots here, but I personally think you ought to leave anything related to Dark Matter to us,” she added. “You’re not endowed. You’re not a Starcatcher. You don’t have a lifespan of three hundred years. You say that your ‘Persona’ allowed you to defend yourself properly, but you must understand that Dark Matter is a parasite. He could easily turn a powerful individual into a soulless puppet.

“…You’ve already done enough, Saito,” her senior’s words grew soft and slow. “I may not be present all the time, but what you’ve done is already more than enough. I’ve seen you. You never complained or asked for anything despite the work load handed down to you. Even elites demand for a higher sum after participating a code red mission.”

Mira stared at her, unable to hide her surprise at Reina’s observation. Reina often made herself scarce during several meetings and missions, and more often than not, almost seemed cold around others. For her senior to say these things made it abundantly clear how much trouble Mira might’ve brought to the entire team.

Letting the words sink in, once more, she realised how weak had become. Compared to her days as Koharu; the unfeeling, ruthless, yet efficient tool for anyone’s disposal, her ability to show cause to remain within the SGI had dwindled.

_It’s no good. At this rate, I won’t be able prove my worth-_

“Sorry,” her teammate suddenly said, sensing the insider’s troubled thoughts. “I might have said too much.”

“No,” Mira shook her head, forcing a smile. “Thank you, Reina-san for telling me. I’ll do my best not make the team worry too much about me.”

Something about what she said made Reina scowl, biting her lip as though she was holding something back. Instead she gave a small, sheepish nod.

With a shallow knock, Thomas poked his head by the door. “-Aand looks like you guys were busy. Showin’ off your deadly skills, eh, Reina?”

“What do you think?” the raven girl deadpanned.

“Come on, lighten up,” he jovially smacked her shoulder, to which Reina immediately parried his wrist to the side. “-Ah, right. Forgot about that. Sorry.”

The small exchange had Mira puzzled for a moment until Thomas turned his attention towards her. “I’ve been thinking about this for a while. I’ve been itching to try and spar with you a little.”

“Eh?” 

“It’s not hard to eavesdrop on you guys,” he continued. “But there are a few things you ought to know when you’re gonna fight enemies who’re twice your size. I just thought, it’ll be better to demonstrate what Reina meant about relying more of the tactical approach.”

Reina shook her head, apparently giving up on trying to dissude him as she walked herself towards a corner of the room.

“On the scale of one to ten, how’d you judge your level of skill in hand-to-hand combat?” he asked Mira.

“-Four or five?”

“Uh- that bad,” he closed his eyes as he crossed his arms. With a quick turn he paced himself out for a moment to come back with two pairs of slippers. He walked over to Reina and raised a pair in front of her.

“Why me?” Reina asked coldly.

“Because we all know you’re the one with the most experience in this field out of all of us,” Thomas playfully smiled.

“It sounded more of an excuse to show off,” she deadpanned.

Mira didn’t understand what they were going on about, only until the raven girl grumpily stood up and received the slippers from Thomas.

“So, imagine these,” -he dangled a slipper in the air- “Are weapons.”

The insider snorted; “Pfft! What?”

“I’m dead serious. Just imagine, that this is not a training ground, but a crisis scenario. And _these_ (slippers) are the only weapons you could use.” -he pointed his head at his fellow senior- “Between us, who looks stronger?”

“…It’s Reina-san, isn’t it?” Mira pointed.

“-Erm. Well- on a tactical standpoint, yes,” Thomas pointed a slipper at Reina. “But, in terms of physical advantage, I’ve got the upper hand. She’s leaner and smaller in frame; whereas I-” he gestured at himself with the slipper. “-you get the idea.”

Reina groaned, resting a hand to her hip, “Just get to the point. Are we doing this or not?”

“I’m sorry, but what are we doing?” Mira interjected.

“I want to show why, regardless of how experienced and trained you are, you’re bound to get hurt when you’re engaging into a real fight.” -Thomas turned towards his comrade. His grip on his slipper tightened, positioning his forearm forward with his feet apart into a position Mira had never seen before. “Reina, if you will?”

The raven girl gracefully stood still; arms raised as one hand clenched the slipper downwards. Her other hand held the other slipper like a switchblade. Within that moment, the junior agent could’ve sworn she saw Reina’s shadow grow larger on the floor. The ambience of the room shifted; Thomas’s eyes narrowed like a wolf ready to pounce at his prey. Reina on the other hand emitted no semblance a threat, her hypnotic blue gaze staring back at her opponent.

Thomas made the first move, a quick thrust forward for Reina’s abdomen. Reina barely caught his arm, but even as she made that successful parry, Thomas’s arm was too strong for her to hold him back. Within seconds, Mira barely missed it when he had the slipper strike at Reina’s forearm within the process. Reina quickly tries to disarm Thomas, but his grip on his ‘weapon’ was too strong to break loose. The girl made the attempt to lose his footing by hooking her foot around his ankle to disarm him, but his footing was as solid as a rock as he emulated a stab at her back.

The two then broke apart to recover from the match before they locked back into their respective positions. Reina charged forward this time, striking the back of her forearm against Thomas’s before she hits her slipper onto the top of his neck. The impact had him break his concentration for a second as she grabbed Thomas’s hand that held the weapon and used it against himself as she quickly struck at the side of his neck. The raven girl then grabbed the slipper from his hand, interlocking his arm with her own as she emulates another strike at his chest.

The outcome speaks for itself as the insider realised what this had meant.

_If that had been a knife-_

Mira shuddered at the thought.

“Ow, ow, ow!” Thomas said in panic. “I give! I give!”

Reina released her sparring partner from her grip, taking several steps back from him as she quietly smoothened her upper arms where Thomas’s strikes were. Thomas huffed as he recovered from the demonstration, standing up with a big smile on his face.

“As you can tell, it isn’t the most elegant display of what you’re used to,” he said, wiping the sweat off his brow. “But the reality is, no matter what methods you were drummed with, no one comes out clean in a fight. So, the best solution is to run if you can help it.”

Mira turned her gaze towards Reina, who’s expression grew somber.

“It’s no secret that Reina here,” Thomas gestured at her. “Has been in enough fights to be able to parry her opponent’s weapon. I don’t know if you saw it, but even while she was doing that, she still got hit in the process. It’s unrealistic to walk out of fights unscathed.” -He then turned towards her with an uncomfortable laugh- “But seriously though, Reina. Did you have to go for the neck? You’re gonna leave bruises if you hadn’t held back.”

“If you care so much about that, why did you ask me to do this in the first place?” She might’ve imagined it, but Mira could’ve sworn she heard Reina’s voice quiver a little. “Honestly, the nerve of you.”

His face too, grew sombre, eyeing the way she kept rubbing her hands on her upper arms. Mira widened her eyes at the small spot of blood staining the bandages beneath Reina's bell-sleeves.

“Oh no,” Thomas walked over to Reina's side. “Show me your arm.”

“Don't concern yourself with it,” she shrugged his concerns, not moving an inch. “It’ll stop bleeding if I just calm down.”

“...Honestly,” he shook his head. “You should have said something sooner before we started.”

“Let's not make this about me, okay?” Reina glanced over to Mira. “Weren't you in the middle of conducting her lesson?”

It was hard to ignore the staining red spreading across the layers of bandages. As if Thomas's attacks really did cut beneath the layers of cloth and onto her direct skin.

_If it was bleeding before their match, then-_

Compared to her, Reina was able to make her wounds seem painless.

“Don't be stubborn Reina,” Thomas sighed. “Cobe's in his room, so go and see him.”

“I fine,” Reina retorted, only for her to wince as both hands immediately clutched her upper arms.

“Clearly not,” he picked up the slippers Reina dropped on the floor and set it aside. “Best you go before you lose your head again.”

Her eyes fell to her left limb, as her right hand continued to nurse the wounded arm. The air felt stifling for Mira to watch her two seniors behave like this. She couldn’t understand why Reina wouldn’t follow Thomas’s instructions, given that Thomas was technically Tinders’ second in command. After long seconds of silence, Reina begrudgingly stormed out of the training room; her face unreadable as she clutched her bleeding arms too tightly. Upon her slamming the door shut, Thomas made a defeated smile.

“She could’ve just been more honest with herself,” he said aloud. “Every day isn’t a battlefield, y’know.”

Mira hesitated for a moment, “…Is it- the effects of the anomaly fragment?”

Her senior nodded. “Yeah. And perhaps the most powerful vessel of Dark Matter, no doubt.”

“What do you mean?”

“You read her profile, right?” he said, his tone a little more morose. “Of all the vessels Dark Matter used, Reina was the only one who’s fragment couldn’t be extrapolated. If she hadn’t been possessed, she could have been the most powerful Starcatcher Paladin in all of the Mystic Isles. With all that in mind, it’d make sense Dark Matter saw her as the ideal vessel.”

Once more, the information final sank into Mira; feeling the weight of those words.

“Cobe says certain emotions trigger an open wound out of her,” Thomas added. “He calls it ‘the scarring of the soul’. Because she had been carrying that thing inside her for so long, her soul was apparently broken enough to manifest its scars onto her physical body.”

“That’s… horrible,” Mira turned her gaze towards the door. “Is there no other way to help her?”

“-Cobe tried the usual method,” He then picked up the two slippers on the floor and handed it over to Mira. “And, well… Let’s just say, it backfired. Terribly. That thing was inside of her since she was five and carrying it for that long apparently entwined her soul with it. If he tries to cast it out the usual way, he’ll be casting her out as well.”

“-and leaving an empty shell,” she muttered.

“Yeah.” He then turned to the window with his arms crossed; a flashing a sardonic smile. “It’s not like it’s a secret really, but, before we moved to Japan, the SGI were already raking over us by taking Reina in. There was talk about containing Reina inside a facility to prevent herself from harming anyone else. Everyone here fought hard to take her with us, despite the possible dangers it might cost. Thanks to that, despite our ranks as specialist agents, our rep with the admin isn’t exactly on the best of terms.”

_Is that why Teru-jii didn’t want me to take part of this operative?_

“When the news broke out that there were fragments within this country, we were more than prepared to do everything ourselves. I never would have thought we’d have you join us for this round, Mira,” he turned towards her, chuckling. “In many ways than one, I’ve had this feeling you drew the short straw by having you as our insider. Despite us dealing with a code red mission, THQ didn’t send for us more than one insider. Somehow, I get the feeling they were salty for bringing Reina into this, which might explain why we were left with just you.”

“I had no idea.” All that time, she thought it was the only opportunity to prove her worth. Little did she know about this.

“-Oh, and don’t beat yourself up for not knowing,” he said. “This is merely my side of the story, I’m sure there were other reasons why, but this was how it seemed to me anyway. But you know, Mira. I can’t say I don’t know about your circumstances, but what you’re doing for us is more than you think you know. Everyone knows it’s a thankless job being an insider, but it’s idiotic for anyone to deny they’re the legs of any SGI operation. Which is exactly why everyone on the team are concerned we might’ve given you too much on your plate. Sure, the outcome of yesterday’s mission didn’t give us the ideal results, but coming back alive is already a win than dying while keeping all that info to the grave. Remember that.”

Her line of sight followed Thomas as he sat down on a small bench by the wall, gesturing for Mira to sit down. She dragged a stool to sit a few paces away from him, wondering why he’s decided to turn this sparring session into a small exchange of conversation.

“Thinking about this now reminds me,” he crossed his arms, staring into the empty space. “That Akechi kid’s coming around sometime later today, isn’t he?”

“Huh?”

“-Ah,” he realised. “Oops.”

“W-wait,” Mira leaned forward. “Akechi’s coming? Here? When? Why?”

“Uh- Haha…” he cursed under his breath before he gave her a side glance. “Promise not to tell anyone you didn’t hear it from me.”

**Afternoon**

Goro stood by the front of Saito’s residence, a little amused at the architecture of the building. Judging by the brick fences and the potted plants adjacent by the doorstep, the share house seemed to be built around the early 1970s. The overgrown vines that clung to the washed-out walls merely signified its age.

Now that he thought about why he came here, there was no doubt in his mind, this meeting was bound to happen.

Too many questions needed to be addressed, considering the many holes that have shown through from both his side and the SGI. After the incident, apart from his expected answer from Saito, there was also something about what that creature said bothered him.

The door opened to reveal a face he’s never seen before. A youthful child whose golden hair and eyes could have passed for a doll took a step forward from the entrance.

“So, you’re that boy everyone’s been buzzing about,” the girl smiled.

He then remembered Saito’s passing remark that all her teammates were actually older than what they appeared.

“I’m Goro Akechi,” he nodded. “I was informed that Tinders-san wishes to speak with me?”

The golden child beamed. “Yup. Come in.”

Upon entering the complex, he was greeted with the sight of a homely interior; floral patterned cushions, books and small decors accentuating the lived-in atmosphere. Old wooden display cabinets that featured worn-down trinkets with cassette tapes kicked in a strange sense of nostalgia for him. As if he was looking at someone’s attempt to preserve remnants of a forgotten age.

Goro followed the girl upstairs into a hallway, as soon as she stood by one of the doors, she knocked. “He’s here.”

“Enter,” a voice replied from the other side.

The girl stepped aside, allowing him to come in. The detective was surprised to find the room a little more minimalistic compared to what he had just walked past. Two armchairs with a table between them against the backdrop of more display cabinets. Linda Tinders stood adjacent to an opened cabinet door; binder folder in hand with her eyes glued to the contents.

“Sit down, please,” she said, not looking at him.

The boy sat down, relieved to see her hostilities towards him were no longer present compared to their last exchange. Seeing her in the daylight really did make a difference; just as he had initially thought, this woman looked far too young to be in her fifties.

“I’m afraid both of us owe each other an explanation,” she said as she sat down on the seat opposite to him. “Based on the latest report, what you did back there might’ve stirred the pot for our target.”

“I’m not sure what you mean,” he said, interlocking his gloved fingers together on his lap. “After all, despite our agreement, you seemed terribly reluctant to have me partake in any of your operatives directly. Using Saito as your only messenger.”

“Matters of protocol demands that any third-party collaborators should have little interaction with the direct agents they work under. I don’t make the rules, but a smart boy like yourself should understand why,” Tinders narrowed her eyes. “But when the circumstances develop into situations like these, I think its high time we’ll have to skirt around those rules a little. So, tell me, Akechi-san. Care to explain how long you’ve been able to access that world?”

He found it funny how empowering it felt to be the one to know more than this powerful organisation. To be demanded to answer these questions and to be relied on for answers made it easier for him to control the flow of information. But Goro knew, if he were to withhold certain details from them, there’s no telling what they’ll do if they found out.

“I can assure you, Tinders-san, it never crossed my mind your group would be interested in a world like that,” he said calmly. “If I had known that were the case, I might have shared a thing or two about the ins and outs about that cognitive world.”

“Just answer the question,” she shook her head. “How long?”

“Almost two years,” he answered curtly. “But even back then, even I didn’t understand where or how I was able to receive that power to access that world.”

“If you’ve known about this world for this long, then why haven’t you mentioned anything about it?” she demanded. “We’ve already informed you we’re hunting for an anomaly that take possession of other people. If you’ve known about this world for that long, surely, you must have encountered these creatures within that span of time.”

“It never occurred to me those wraiths were the anomaly fragments you were looking for,” he kept his cool, not allowing himself to be intimidated by this woman. “And if I recall, the way you described those things didn’t fit the description of what I saw there.”

She darted her eyes at him, resting her hand on her chin. He knew that look; doubt paired with suspicion. In many ways, a woman of her career ought to be wary of him. But to be suspected this much meant she sensed his own apprehension. The youthful senior sighed and laid a sheet of paper onto the table.

“From our reports, it seems the only gateway into Mementos is through this app,” -she pointed at the metaverse app printed onto the page- “is it the same for you?”

He nodded, “This is from Saito, isn’t it?”

“That’s not important right now. I want to know if there is another means to access this world apart from this app? What are the conditions or functions? Can it be used by other people?”

“Why ask? It’s not as if your organisation doesn’t intend to use it for ‘the greater good’, is it?”

Tinders’s expression grew dark. “Don’t be foolish, that’s not our way.” She crossed her arms, clearly not amused. “I want answers to solve this riddle we’ve caught ourselves in. The sooner we find the root of the spread of these fragments, the better. We don’t want to drag our operations within this country any more than this. If this Mementos world is truly the physical manifestation of the cognitive world, then it could be the reason why these fragments have grown more powerful over the course of two years.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean, kid,” she tapped her knuckle on the page on the table. “I’ve come to suspect that this world has not only given that creature a physical body. I’ve got a terrifying feeling that _thing_ will soon control the entire population through its access to this world. Now, I’m asking you, ‘kid detective’, what you know about this world. That way, we could figure out our bearings within our operation. And once we do, my team can finally put an end to that miserable creature once and for all.”

Goro picked up the page, hovering his gaze over the notes made around the photo. Once more, he weighed the stakes. On one hand, he stuck his foot into a dangerous organisation that has yet to be proven to be more dangerous than Shido’s spiderweb. To disclose Wakaba Ishiki’s stolen research to the SGI could put a dent on Shido’s trust in him. And in turn, _if_ Shido found out, without a doubt the boy would be eliminated. To withhold the information from the SGI might lead to a similar outcome as well, but even he didn’t know what sort of punishments would they inflict if that were to happen.

After weighing the odds of his gamble, he began; “This app is the only means to get into the cognitive world. It is known as a metaverse navigator. Just like Saito, I don’t know why or how I obtained this app. It just appeared on my phone one day.”

He recounted his experiences to her, describing the methods on how he used the app while explaining the vast nature of the cognitive world. He dared not disclose the deeds he had done regarding the matters with the psychotic breakdowns and mental shutdowns. Let alone Wakaba Ishiki’s research surrounding the concept of cognitive pscience. Instead, he lied, saying he had exploited the cognitive world to access secrets and answers to the cases he solved.

“In other words,” Tinders massaged her temples. “Your elevated status as a detective was all thanks to this app? That all your ventures of solving those breakdown incidents was all thanks to the cognitive world?”

“That sums everything up,” he nodded. “Though, I could understand if this information was difficult to comprehend.”

“-No, I think the pieces are starting to fit together,” she leaned back to her chair, flicking through the pages of the folder in her hand. “From the sound of things, I’d dare say this might truly be the root of our current objective. Worse still, this might even be just the beginning of something even more problematic…” -her voice trails off.

There was a small pensive look he sensed from the veteran before she rubbed her face with her hand. Goro sat there, quietly anticipating suspicious inquiries in relation to the subject matter at hand.

She sat up from her seat and eyed him pensively.

“I’m surprised,” she said after a small pause. “Wouldn’t this be the part where you’d be asking questions?”

“What’s there to ask?” he wryly smiled. “I highly doubt a woman of your calibre wouldn’t be so loose to the point of breaching your company’s protocol.”

“Consider it an agent’s etiquette, Akechi-san,” she folded her arms. “It’s a matter of maintaining a certain level of trust between temporary alliances. Intel is an agent’s form of currency in our world; lies and honesty are no more than a strategic bargain. You shared your piece to our puzzle; I’m offering you ours to your own.”

“-Except, given the nature of your organisation; there is only so much you could share. Am I wrong?”

A corner of her mouth faintly lifted. “Don’t take it too hard, rules are rules. And there’s only so much a low lieutenant like me could offer. However, I wouldn’t be so cold as to return an informant’s services without a little something in return.”

 _So, this is how she operates._ He can’t say he was surprise at her words. Judging by the way Saito described her team, Tinders appeared to be the kind who favoured duty and honour over things like making ends meet.

_Or is it merely a façade?_

Goro couldn’t tell, whether or not she’d be true to her word. Even more so, granted the nature of her occupation. Weighing in on the many unanswered questions he’s had in the past few months, there was only so much he try and pry open. And yet, all it took was this woman’s prodding for him to make a cohesive understanding of what he had stumbled into.

“During our last exchange, I had the impression your organisation was something akin to America’s secret societies,” he began. “The kind of operative who’d try to rationalise the supernatural with logic and reasoning.” -He rested his elbows on the desk and leaned forward- “But it never occurred to me that the SGI itself _is_ part of the supernatural, something akin to an organised network of people who dabbles with the occult."

“The ‘occult’, you say? In the eyes of Northern folk like yourself, things like those fragments seemed to fit well into that category.” -she leaned back against her chair, elbows resting on her armrests- “What gave you that impression?”

“Since the day I had first encountered one of your subordinates, there had always been something that bothered me. Strange occurrences like erecting an invisible barrier to hide one’s presence; or individuals who’s skin glows in the shadows.” He eyed the youthful lieutenant’s face. “Or even individuals who appear younger than their true age. The final clue to this was how members of your group appeared to be unfazed at the prospect of the existence of another world. Let alone the matter of how you all managed to conduct your investigations on a whole new playing field.”

The lieutenant seemed unfazed by his words. It was difficult to read past her stone-cold expression.

“Close,” she said. “But not exactly the way you think. I guess I’ll reward your deductions since you’ve come this far in to the truth. The truth is, the world we’re living in is divided into two halves. And even within those two halves, there lies layers and divisions within those two realms. One half of our world, the world we are standing on, is what we call the Northern Realms. A spiritless, endowed-less land divided into countries that make up a billion or so residents. The other half of our world is known to as the Mystic Isles. A hidden realm; rather, an archipelago, to be exact. The Mystic Isles is this world’s best guarded secret; a land where the blessing of the spirit of authority over creation still thrives within the earth and its denizens. You say we were unfazed at the prospect of the existence of another world. I believe that this cognitive world you speak of, is less of another world, but perhaps another realm that takes its residence within the Northern Realms itself.”

He paused, “Then the SGI itself is a protector of this realm called the Mystic Isles?”

Tinders mirthlessly chuckled. “If only it were that simple. I’m not allowed to disclose the details of how the SGI operates. But it is in their core belief that upon the unveiling of this world’s great mysteries spells chaos to both realms and other inter-dimensional realities.”

_Then there are other worlds, then, apart from our own._

“Part of the SGI’s duties are the standard protocol of secure and contain wandering anomalies that threatens Northerner societies. Creatures of anomaly and the endowed should remain within the Mystics Isles. Especially since Northerners like you don’t have the resistance to handle their level of strength and influence. On a biological basis, Northerner bodies lacks the radiance to be able to bend the laws of nature to their own will, unlike Mystic Islanders like myself. It’s creatures like Dark Matter, the anomaly fragment we’re hunting, is the exact reason why the SGI exists.”

Hearing this turned his attention to his encounter with Saito within Mementos. Apart from her persona, she appeared to have a strange ability that aided her during their fight. He held his chin, piecing his thoughts together.

“Is Mira Saito, by any chance, someone who was from the Mystic Isles?” he asked.

Tinders crunched her brows. “How on earth did you come to that conclusion?”

“When Saito and I were defending ourselves, she appeared to carry a strange set of skills. A mere command of a word, she was able to ward off the fragment’s attacks.”

“…Oh.” The lieutenant deflated her rigid stance. “So, you saw that too. I can’t blame you for making that conclusion, but no, that child is not one of our kind. She’s just a normal, adolescent girl who happened to be part of the SGI.”

“If that is so, then how was she able to gain that ability to create a shield mid-air?”

“What you saw were the effects of a tool my subordinates created to protect her from Dark Matter. Given the nature of our operative’s current objective, among all of us, she is the most vulnerable of our team. We had to find some means of evening out the stakes to avoid the worse-case scenario. That, or her uncle would chew my head off in that worst-case scenario.”

Goro didn’t miss the slighted tone in her words, so much so, it brought back the question that remained in the back of his mind since the very beginning.

“But that’s beside the point. I take it, this information will suffice for all the trouble.” Tinders then glowered at the boy’s pensive expression. “…It appears you still have more questions.”

“If Saito is, indeed as you say she is, then why hire her? Why make her part of this- dangerous operation? Isn’t that a little too much, even for someone as reasonable as yourself?” He couldn’t help by lace his words with anger.

“Says the boy who tried to get ahead of himself against an organisation he clearly underestimated,” she retorted. “But. Are you sure you’d want to waste this opportunity and inquire on the personal affairs of my subordinate?”

“Mira Saito is no more than an alias, isn’t it?”

The tall woman didn’t reply.

Goro persisted to continue. “While we fought against that fragment, it appeared to be fixated on eliminating Saito, as if she were a threat to its existence. As a means of taunting her, that fragment called her by a different name.”

Tinders’s put up a stoic front, her fingers curled on the edge of the armrests.

“‘Koharu’, I believe,” he added thoughtfully.

Silence replied in the lieutenant’s stead as shee stood up from her seat and walked over to the window. The boy waited for an answer, half-expecting to be dismissed.

“Don’t think,” she finally said, not facing his direction. “That I don’t know what you’re doing, Akechi-san. It’s already bad as it is that child saw herself as nothing more than willing tool to be used. Unless you give me a good reason for your fixation for that girl, I cannot trust you.”

“If I say I’m interested, would you believe me?”

She scoffed. “Your lukewarm curiosity pales in comparison to one of my subordinates. Try again.”

Her abstinent stubbornness could rival that of Sae Nijima’s, had it not been for the battle-hardened aura she exuded. If Saito hadn’t made those small conversations of her teammates, he would not have been able to handle Tinders’ difficult disposition without feeling intimidated.

“Tinders-san,” he challenged. “I think it is imperative of you to dictate the questions that _you_ offered to answer. But nevertheless, if you can’t provide the answers, I suppose it’d be easier to bring it up to the person in question.”

Tinders gave him a hard look, then relaxed her shoulders defeatedly with a scoff.

“If we had met in different circumstances, you would’ve done terribly well in our team.” Her eye fell to the cabinet file beside her. “…Not once. Since the day she was assigned to this team had she opened up to us. No complaints, hard-working, an astute child who never tried to impose herself onto us or other around her. An agent’s private life is a detriment to their career. Mira knows this; therefore, she made no effort to try and seek out a life outside of the organisation. But even to most veterans, one could say working for the SGI wasn’t work, but a lifestyle. And yet, even among fellow agents, she merely kept things at a professional level as much as possible.”

Her eyes grew pensive, appearing to be debating whether or not she should open the file cabinet.

“Goro Akechi,” she said firmly. “If you wish to approach that girl for the sake of satisfying your own amusement, or have _any_ intent of using her for your own devices; let me give you some advice. Back Off. That girl doesn’t need any more unnecessary burdens. Especially now, since our current circumstances have taken too many unexpected turns.” With that, she gave out an exasperated sigh.

The detective pondered over her words.

_“…Are we- We’re friends, right?”_

Despite his initial intents, somewhere along the way he had grown fond of her company. Albeit in a that was nothing like his passive relationships with his class or the adults he had worked with. The image of Saito standing alone on the rooftop lingered in his mind, the despondent expressions she made as she watched people of her age passing her view.

“I simply wish to get to know her better,” he answered. “As a friend.”

Goro wasn’t joking when he asked her out. A part of him rationalised it was merely for practical reasons, just as he was compelled to make her look at him more.

Tinders glowered at him dubiously. “I can’t believe I’m going to do this,” she muttered before she opened the cabinet door open. She drew out a binder folder and settled back to her chair.

“Don’t misunderstand,” she said as she flicked through the plastic pages. “I still can’t trust you. But a deal is a deal, and it’s rather obvious that Saito confides with you more than you think. Promise me you won’t reciprocate that trust with a knife to her back.”

“There’s no need to worry, Tinders-san. I would do no such thing,” he said resolutely.

The woman stopped at a particular file, her gaze switching from the file to the detective.

“One. Last. Warning.” Her tone grew soft. “What you’ll hear is classified information. I trust that after this, you won’t treat her any different to how you treated her before. Because this is sensitive information we’re talking about and its not a pretty picture. Are you prepared for that?”

“Of course,” he said with confidence.

The tall woman glanced down on the file and began;

“You asked me why we hired her in this mission? To be brief, we didn’t hire her; she voluntarily took part of this operative, knowing the dangers she’d come across. I honestly thought it was irrational of Tokyo branch to allow such a thing to happen, even more so to have a fifteen-year-old girl take part of a code-red operation. But over time, I was informed that Tokyo headquarters refused to assign any more insiders in fear of losing them to the fragment at hand. And even among members of THQ, it was more or less a relief to them to assign that child to us. After all, that girl was non other than the daughter of two the most notorious specialist agents who betrayed the SGI.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the time I came down to rewriting this chapter, I realised several missed opportunities I should have added in the first version. For one, a better opportunity to showcase the lore of where the Starcatcher team was coming from. Two, add a bit more characterisation for Reina and Thomas as characters rather than token extras. I must confess, part of the reason why I wrote this fic was to practice writing the Starcatcher characters and a have a feel of their dynamic.  
> On that note, I have an idea but I don't really know if it's a good one. I'm thinking about creating a discord account so that I could have some beta readers read my work, but I don't know if that's a good idea or not. I haven't decided yet, so share me your thoughts, as well as the rewritten chapters.


	18. Child of Many Names

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings for mentions of suicide and child abuse.  
> Chapter rewritten updated at 30/11/2020

When Linda first met Mira, the girl’s quiet disposition and obedience showed signs of a soul who resigned her fate into the hands of others. Something the lieutenant could relate to, had it not been for the slight differences in circumstance.

Linda could technically try and reach out, let herself become Mira’s confidant and become a person she trusts. But even the lieutenant knew it would be both impractical and more or less unethical of their respective professions. There was no guarantee how long this code-red mission would last; not to mention the notoriety of Northerners assuming the worst if an agent tries to earn the favour from a child of a high-ranking admin. The least Linda _could_ do, was to put her trust in Mira and assure her she was as every bit important as everyone else in the team.

Which was why, it surprised everyone why Mira hadn’t informed them of Akechi at first. The girl had always demonstrated her dedication to her work, so suffice to say Linda never would’ve expected her to protect this boy from prying eyes.

And now, here they are, with Goro Akechi sitting in front of her; spilling out personal information. The lieutenant observed his actions; so far, the boy seemed to be taking things rather well. Almost too well, it only further roused her suspicions. If the circumstances had been different, Linda would’ve considered the idea of recruiting this boy; for his talent and wit had proven to be on par with specialist agent.

But the mere prospect of knowing _that_ man merely perceives others as pieces to play only further discouraged the idea of bringing one more pawn to that man’s favour. It made her sick knowing that things are slowly falling into that man’s plans by humouring Akechi’s request.

“You suspect that Mira Saito was nothing more than an alias,” -Linda detached the file from the binder and began to flick through the pages- “Or that the name Koharu has something to do with that fact. I’m afraid things aren’t that simple, Akechi-san. Since the moment of her birth, she was nothing more than a nameless, unregistered child; in curtesy of her parents.”

“An unregistered child,” he murmured the words.

She nodded. “Her- parents… were formerly elite agents within the SGI. Airi Kobayashi, codename; ‘Pawn’ and Kain Saito, codename: ‘Lance’. Two geniuses of their craft and even before their betrayal, they were already notorious among the admin’s circles. Their success rate of missions was at a ninety-percent in most of their operatives; but from what I was informed, their methods were ruthless and unconventional. Rumours and hearsays told me they’d use whatever means necessary to get the job done, even at the cost of others’ livelihoods.

But somewhere along the way, one of the administrators discovered they had a child together and immediately reported it to Tokyo HQ. The couple did great lengths to hide her existence; going so far as to not give the girl an official birth certificate to make her an invisible child.

Once the word was out, the two elites were demoted from their positions. The couple didn’t take that demotion very well and disappeared from the SGI’s radar along with that girl.”

Akechi narrowed his eyes. “Is it against the organisation’s policy for agents to fraternize with other agents?”

“The SGI,” she continued. “Have strict policies regarding their members and those closest to them. Fraternising isn't forbidden; but they are not permitted to raise a family as much as possible. Especially if they are elites and specialists.”

“Why is that?” he asked.

“For the sake of secrecy and safety for both members and their loved ones, they enforced this rule to minimise the unnecessary risks like hostages and blackmail.” She casted a glance at the girl’s ten-year-old photograph. “Another reason was to prevent our members from creating child soldiers and underaged agents.”

Akechi leaned forward. “In other words-”

“There has been no confirmation as to why they decided to keep the girl,” Linda interjected. “But later reports claimed that her parents wanted to raise that girl to become a perfect tool to elevate their successes.”

The boy’s lips tightened at her words; squeezing his grip of his interlocked fingers. “…Something doesn’t add up. If that’s the case, then that merely contradicts everything that you said earlier. Why recruit her if these policies you speak of are enforced?”

“I was getting to that,” Linda said. “But it’s difficult to explain the circumstances without a bit of context.”

She then removed a few pages from the file, her fingers playing at the corners as she scanned over the contents.

“The shorter version of it, is that eventually these two rogues were later discovered by another SGI operative while int the middle of their mission. As turns out, these two have been selling out pieces of information of our organisation to our rivalling groups and acted as mercenaries. You could imagine the many mismanagements that were caused by their meddling alone. When the SGI discovered they were using their own child as a pawn to carry out their plans, Teru Saito intervened and took that girl into custody. By that time, Mira was already ten. According to the report, the girl was found with a broken leg, strutting towards the emergency button as if the pain didn’t bother her…”

Linda lowered her head, her pity and sorrow for the girl rekindled in her chest.

“What is it?” Akechi probed her to continue.

“When she was taken in,” -she took a deep breath- “The girl was… well, how should I put this- that girl was broken, both physically and mentally. Teru Saito tried to rehabilitate her into a proper family setting to be reintegrated into a society outside of the SGI’s hands; but that ‘curse’ her parents ingrained into her triggered several attempts of suicide.”

* * *

Goro stared back at Saito’s superior in horror.

“‘What good is a tool, if it can’t be used,’” Tinders read aloud from the sheet in hand. “That was what she said during one of her therapy sessions. One could only imagine what sort of monstrosity her parents did to groom her into that sort of mindset.”

He then recalled the memory of that night.

_‘That’s admirable of you.’_

The detective finally understood the meaning behind the words.

“The truth is, Akechi-san,” she continued. “Is that neither the SGI, nor her uncle and grandfather wanted her to become part of this organisation. She chose this path for herself, not because she wanted to; this was the only life she’s ever known. The very least of what her uncle could do was to train her so she could properly utilise the skills she’s been ingrained with. And so, at the age of thirteen, Mira Saito joined the insider ranks of the SGI.”

Anger welled up inside of him.

“Is that what she really wanted?” he asked, a shadow casted over his eyes. “Is that truly what Saito wants? It merely sounds to me like a pathetic excuse.”

Tinders gave out a long breath, shaking her head. “No system is perfect, just as there are scummy members among the supposed ‘righteous’ organisations. If it had been me making the decision, I would oppose to her recruitment. I know Teru Saito opposed it. In good faith, we could have seen this girl living a good life if they had at least tried to persist on rehabilitating her back into society. But-” she lowered her gaze, grimacing at the files before her. “-not only had she been adamant, other members of the administration found merit in her use for the organisation. The rest, you could figure out for yourself.”

Goro clenched his hands together, recalling the sight of his mother on the autopsy table. Remembering her last words written on her suicide note. Remembering Shido and his associates trying to topple over each other for their own benefit.

 _I was right all along._ He thought. _There truly is nothing good in this world._

“So,” he smiled coldly. “In other words, this SGI of yours is merely some glorified coup who pride themselves in their own self-entitled bullshit. Yet, would allow a mere thirteen-year-old to partake in dangerous operations. I find that rather ironic.”

“For once, I agree with you,” she snorted. “But, where things stand right now, we can’t change what has already been passed. We can only accept the circumstances as they are now. I can’t say things might have been different. But based on what little I know of a Northerner’s socio-dynamic; it was either the girl’s mind would deteriorate in the company of ordinary citizens; or make use of the abilities that was thrusted upon her. I’m more concerned of what was in the minds of these people to suddenly allow her to take part of this mission, of all things.”

He eyed the files on the table, noting the small stack of pages jammed into one section.

“…What did her parents make her do, to lead her to have this kind of mindset?”

The tall woman leaned back, releasing another long breath. “I was hoping you wouldn’t ask me that,” her fingers ran through the stack of papers.

“Why?”

“Because the things they made her do…” she shook her head. “No. I think I’ve already said too much.”

**Late Afternoon**

Mira curled up in the corner of the hallway, her back leaning against the wall outside of the archives room.

 _“It’s a thankless job being an Insider,”_ she remembered Thomas’s words. _“It’s usually the job no one wants. Being on the field to scour for info sounds like a fun ride, until you realise it means doing the dirtier work to obtain it. Agents above that rank try to justify themselves and say its better than being an insider, when everyone’s just as guilty. Which is exactly why-”_

It wasn’t like she wanted to eavesdrop, but after she showered from training, she noted Akechi’s shoes were still there at the front entrance. She hoped to at least avoid him and happened to walk past the records office and overhear the words her superior had to say about her.

_Why does everyone… think of me like that?_

Pity. Concerned. Wanting to reach out.

After finding out about Reina’s own troubles being possessed with the fragment and Thomas’s words; she looked at herself and knew.

_I can’t… keep doing this._

It didn’t take long for the door to swing open.

The agent raised her head up, giving him a blank expression.

“Good afternoon,” she felt numb.

“…How long have you-”

Mira stood up, forcing a smile on her face.

“Since you’re here,” she said, not looking at him the eye. “Why not keep me company for a little while? Unless, of course, you’re busy after this-”

“No, its fine,” he said. “I don’t mind.”

The two said nothing on their way to the rooftop. The share house itself was not as high as Higure or Shujin’s rooftop, but the vantage it provides was good enough to collect her own thoughts.

Aisles of freshly washed laundry fluttered against the soft wind, casting shadows on the rooftop floor as the afternoon sun had begun to creep into sunset.

“It’s a nice view,” Akechi complimented.

“Yeah,” she nodded. “This place is… a nice, quiet neighbourhood. Not too desolate; not to crowded either.”

“Saito,” his words grew sober. “How much did you hear?”

“Not a lot,” Mira said, her back turned towards him as she stared at the cityscape. “Just enough to know what Tinders-san thinks of me… It turns out, I’ve only brought more unnecessary burdens around me, haven’t I?”

“Saito-”

“-I must be so ungrateful, feeling sorry for myself. Giving up without realising how much trouble Teru-ji and Ojiisan and all the rest of my team-”

“-Saito-”

“You have questions, don’t you? About what I did, when I was Koharu.”

“…”

“And here I thought you’d never ask.”

Silence.

“…My parents were- narcissist psychopaths,” she said sombrely. “Instead of raising me, they groomed me to be an actress. ‘A game of faces’ they called it. For a while, they called me ‘Koharu’. Then they made me play the role of ‘Ayumi’, a sickly girl designed for distractions. Then Miyu. Then Ayame, then after that, Hotaru and several other roles. Each role I played; they were happy. Whenever I’m neither of these roles, they didn’t see me… Some roles were made as bait. Some, to gather intel. Every role was crafted to gain someone’s trust, only to betray them in the end.

“Then there was one role where I had deceived a childless couple, where I played the part of an orphan to be adapted. The couple who took me in asked me how I was. What I liked, what I disliked. They gave me gifts I didn’t deserve. They… were family to me; more than my own parents. And yet- I… returned that kindness with lies. I was just a tool who’d eventually betray them too.

“After the SGI intervened, Teru-ji took me in, telling me I don’t have to pretend to be someone else. But… by that time, I didn’t know. Rather, I didn’t want to know who I am supposed to be…”

Behind her, Akechi took one step closer.

“What happened to that couple?” he asked.

“Their memories were erased. In the end of it all, the SGI had to erase six-months’ worth of getting to know Hotaru Shimons. After that, I was forbidden from contacting them, believing that meeting me might jog their lost memories.”

She turned around to see him wear a pained expression, taking her by surprise. The same eyes her uncle gave, the same pitiful look that her team sees in her.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she said. “I hate that look.”

He said nothing.

“I’m not that weak, ten-year old girl anymore. I’m different now.”

Silence.

“I’m a lot better now at handling things. I’m- I’m…”

_‘Koharu must not weep.’_

Water began to spill from her eyes. “Huh?”

She touched her cheeks and felt the wet streaks flowing down her skin.

_Don’t cry._

Mira tried to rub the tears away.

_Don’t cry._

With the back of her sleeve, she furiously wiped the streaks from her skin.

_STOP CRYING._

A warm hand stopped her halfway, followed by a tug forward towards his direction. Unable to process what was happening, Akechi enveloped her with his arms, bringing her head to his chest.

A comforting warmth washed over her, prompting more tears to fall.

Weak.

Pathetic.

She thought she had it together. Just when she had thought she had jumped over that hurdle, here she was, plummeting down into this pathetic self. She hated it.

And in that moment, she hated Akechi for prying that box open.

“Th-that’s… not fair… Akechi…” she hiccupped her words. “You’re not… playing fair…”

“Shh,” he cooed. “You can save your complaints for later.”

The girl laughed at the irony as the tears continued to fall. “You- bastard…”

“I aim to please,” contrary to his words, his gloved hand stroked the back of her head. “Just relax. I’m not going anywhere.”

The soft tone in his words did little to calm her down. Her body trembled uncontrollably, prompting him to hold her tighter as she tried to stop her tears. Hesitantly, she wrapped her arm around his waist, her ear pressed against his chest.

The beat of his heart mirroring the same pace as her brought her a sense of comfort. Then ever so slowly, she felt herself calm down, taking in deep, slow breaths until it grew steady.

_It’s so warm._

The lull of his warmth drew her in, pressing the side of her cheek against him to nuzzle into him. Not once had her parents held her like this. No one in her life, whom she could recall, has ever embraced her the way Akechi did.

Then, she realised.

_…What am I doing?_

Her body now trembled for a different reason.

Akechi was still holding her.

Her mind then flew back to the memory of their last exchange.

_“Go out with me.”_

Her face reddened at the thought.

“…Um- Akechi…” she stuttered. “Y-you can let go now.”

His arms refused to listen.

“A-Akechi-”

“-Mira Saito,” he interjected as his hand continued to stroke the back of her head. “A classmate of mine. A discreet lover of cats with a terribly cynical outlook.”

_What is he on about?_

“-A girl with no outstanding physical qualities other than her sarcastic tongue,” he continued. “A naïve seventeen-year old who lacks confidence in herself and has a terrible habit of staring out into space-”

_Is he trying to praise me or insult me?_

“-Someone who chains herself up into a group who make her do things she wanted no part of. I suspect, if she had tried, she could always walk free and never look back.” She felt him loosen his hold on her, as he took an inch back to look at her in the eye. “Why didn’t you?”

She casted her gaze on the floor, unable to face the question. “…I thought Tinders-san told you-”

“No,” he said with a mock-innocent tone. “I don’t think she did.”

She raised her head to glare at him. “Liar.”

“No, really,” he insisted. “But rather than hearing it from someone else, I’d rather hear it from you personally.”

Brown eyes meets vermillion; his mouth fell to a flat line.

It shouldn’t be difficult to answer that. But now that he put the matter in that way, Mira began to doubt. She could easily say it was some form of penitence, a path she took as a means to punish herself to satiate her guilt. But the more she thought about it-

_-I’m just using that as an excuse._

Fear. That was it. She was afraid.

Afraid of stepping out into a world full of things she didn’t know. A world outside of the SGI; a world without knowing what happens behind closed door. Afraid of making mistakes while not knowing what would happen if she was to make a decision of her own volition. She envied people who didn’t know, yet strutted their way out of their problems while wandering in idle bliss.

It felt empowering to know things others don’t. It felt empowering to know what its like to be entrusted with something she can do. To know that though her efforts won’t be recognised in the public eye, she felt satisfied that her contribution helped spare the world from threats that go behind closed doors.

 _How arrogant,_ she thought, smiling inwardly at the realisation.

With a deep breath, Mira answered; “I chose this life, because I can’t see myself in any other place but here. I can’t live a quiet life, knowing that there are more dangerous threats in the world. And as much as I regret knowing that the world is full of terrible things, I know I wouldn’t be able to face myself if I didn’t do anything about it.”

“…Is that how you truly feel?”

She lowered, staring at her feet as a small smile lifted. “-In all honesty? I’m- scared. I’m so scared at the thought of what it’s like to not be in-the-know. I’m scared at the idea of going through things I’m not prepared for. But. Someone has to do it. I’d rather be someone who can do something about it than to be unsettled of the truth of things and try and pretend everything’s okay when it’s not. It feels… wrong.”

A kind smile graced his lips at her answer. “I see.”

He headed over to lean his elbows against the rooftop’s railing. Mira joined to stand next to him as they faced the sunset. The gap between them were filled with silence that felt neither awkward nor uncomfortable.

“…Akechi?”

“Hmm?”

“…Sorry.”

“For what?”

“For putting up with my outburst earlier.”

He chuckled. “I should be the one apologising. Sneaking behind your back to find out more about you. Although, to be fair, you were the one who did it first.”

“-Yeah, I guess I never apologized to you about that either.”

“-Not to mention, I never made a big deal out of it, either.”

“Irk. Sorry.”

He laughed.

“…Don’t apologise.”

Mira turned towards his direction.

“Don’t ever apologise for things you clearly have no fault of,” he said. “Do you remember what I said to you, the first time we met?”

She nodded.

“Rather than apologising to everyone, wouldn’t it be better to say ‘thank you’ instead? I’m sure that everyone else would rather hear words of gratitude than needless apologies.”

“…Sorry.”

“See? There you go again.”

“Ah, so-”

She stopped herself midway, only to find herself in a bind.

_Then what am I supposed to-_

“Pfft!” he laughed again. “You really are hopeless.”

“Well.” Mira pouted. “Sor _ry_ for being a hopeless case.”

The detective laughed harder, only this time, she found herself giggling with him. As their laughter died down, silence resumed. The sky was now dipped in orange, as Tokyo skyscrapers casted long shadows over the city.

Mira turned her thoughts back to the gap between them.

Were they friends? Is this what friends do?

Since when had she felt comfortable whenever he was nearby?

His gloved hand brushed his warmth onto hers.

“…Akechi.”

“Yes, Saito?”

“-Going out… only leads to break ups if it doesn’t work out, right?”

“Yes?”

“-Would…Would we still be friends if that happens?”

He turned to his side to face her.

“We’ll just have to wait and see if it happens, right?” he said in a matter-of-factly manner. “Why? Have given it some thought?”

“…Yeah. I did.”

Mira reached for his hand, fingers interlocking them with his clothed ones.

“I- I’ll go out- with you.”

He eyed their joined hands and released her before he removed his glove, pocketed it, then linked his hand with hers once more.

The warmth of his hand warming hers lingered in her mind for the rest of his visit. She didn’t really know whether or not this was the right choice. Or that she might have made a hasty decision.

But right then and there, a small part of her felt proud to know this was the first time she’s ever made a decision that wasn’t dictated by circumstances.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehe.... I hope this lived up to your expectations.  
> The truth is, there's a lot more to tell, but it dragged a bit too much, so I had to use twenty-percent of the overly detailed backstory as a means to make things a bit more balanced. As for Mira's decision, I'd always imagine her as someone who knows too much, but always has this barrier between her and others, making her slightly out of touch with others and her own feelings as well. Since she's always used to being the observer, she always doubts herself when it comes to how others think of her. At the end of the day, she's still a teen who kinda hit puberty late when it came down to desiring for connections with others.
> 
> EDIT: Can you believe, I'm almost there to updating the story? haha... I am so sorry to all who had to endure this long rewrite marathon.


	19. Interludes 1: Chihaya's strange encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the midst of the rewrite process, I've always wanted to try writing short chapters like this. So I've decided to give this fic a few Interlude chapters which may or may not be relevant to the story directly, but give some highlights to each individual member of the Starcatcher team. I thought Chihaya was the best character to do this small interaction with Cobe, simply because I felt that Chihaya might be the closest person to understand Cobe's jargon to a certain degree.

Shinjuku is the cesspool of night activities, so much so, it was easy to pick and choose whose misfortunes are in need of addressing. Chihaya’s reputation within the divination circles had garnered praises from the small whispers of urban gossip, so much so, business was booming for the ADP. But, even after numerous divinations, Chihaya’s fortunes didn’t seem to change; that whenever she sought for a solution, the cards tell her the inevitable.

Which brings her to the present, setting her small shop within the corner of the street, waiting for patrons and beckoning newcomers.

After she bid her new patron with a holy stone, she slouched in her seat; hoping that the stone would break that woman’s misfortunes.

“The stone is fake.”

She jolted at the words, bringing the seer to look up to find a pale boy standing before her table. She blinked twice to make certain she wasn’t seeing things. The boy before her donned a black over-sized coat; his unruly white hair casting shadows over his purple eyes.

In all of her years of divination practices, Chihaya had never felt an aura as unusual as this boy. The seer lost herself in a moment that she had forgotten the questionable words he said.

She cleared her throat, “Can I help you?”

“I wonder why you would put your faith into stones that has no meaning?” the boy’s eyes scanned the crowd. “Even if those stones have power, I doubt Northerners are able to harness its radiance.”

“Um…”

The pale boy turned to face Chihaya, his purple eyes staring back at hers.

_What is this feeling?_

His presence alone was unusual, but within that moment, she felt his eyes peering into her entire soul.

“How unusual to find an endowed within the Northern Realms,” his gaze pointed towards the tarot cards at hand. “…I see your endowment must have caused you some trouble.”

“H-huh?” she stared down at her table then realised. “Are you by any chance a fortune teller, yourself?”

He shook his head. “I’m not endowed with such a burdensome gift as divination. However, I do sense you’re struggling with trying to understand your endowment.”

“Endowment?” she echoed. “Are you referring to my ability to see fates?”

The boy nodded. “It is a rare kind of endowment. The kind of endowment that grants you the authority to peer into one’s future. But judging by the set of cards you laid out on your table, I sense you have trouble trying to make sense of it. So, you rely on the cards to help you understand your premonitions and define the meaning behind them.”

“That’s correct-” she said, wide-eyed at his explanation. “You said you’re not a fortune teller and yet, you’re able to” -Chihaya paused, her premonition whispered the answer to her own question- “You… You aren’t from around here, are you? I feel that- your fate seems to be tied to a shadow you’ve been hunting for…”

Chihaya then quickly turned to her table and began shuffling her cards, quickly aligning each card into rows of three. But before she turned over her card, he quickly puts his hand down on the tarot she had her eye on.

The boy shook his head once more. “Forgive me, seer. But I’d rather not be told of what is to come.”

“But I must make sense of what I had sensed just now!” despite her words, she retreated her hand.

“I don’t doubt the extent of your abilities. But I merely wish not to be told of my fate. I know you mean well, but I’d like to decline.”

The seer lowered her head with a frown.

“I feel that you are dejected and concerned,” he said.

“I can’t help it,” Chihaya mumbled. “I just sensed that your fate is bound to something you cannot overcome. If I can at least try and clarify what it is that I-”

“I am sorry,” he interjected. “But I’m merely a pilgrim who seeks to fulfill my duties without the burden of knowing what is to come.”

“But-”

“However,” he continued. “Earnest souls like yourself deserve a little more affirmation. Your kind of divination is likened to the weather forecasts as you Northerners put it, rather than a fixed point-”

“Huh?”

“-The kind that determines futures in broader terms, rather than defined details. Your violet eyes are proof of your endowment.”

It was difficult for Chihaya to keep up with his pace. And here she thought she was bad at being able to communicate her fate-reading to her patrons.

“…Um, what does my eyes have to do with my gift?” she asked.

“Where I’m from, violet to red eyes are signifiers of spiritual authority,” he explained. “Endowments are, after all, gifts from the divine that grants one the authority to a specific element of nature-”

_…Yeah… I don’t know what he means by that._

The boy gave her a strange look. “-I understand you might not be able to understand, but this is the only way I can explain things.”

_Is he a telepath?!_

“But anyway,” he continued. “It is said that those with violet eyes are conveyers of the soul. Some are those who can hear the thoughts of others. Some are those who can mirror the feelings of others. The rarest kinds are those who can see the futures of others.”

Chihaya widened her eyes. It was true her eyes were purple, but she never really saw anything special about it.

“But to be living in this endowed-less world must have brought you more trouble than good,” he added.

“Oh, no,” she shook her head. “No, not at all. I mean, I had a rocky start, but it’s thanks to this business I’ve been able to keep afloat. If it hadn’t been for someone who helped me out, I wouldn’t be here.”

Despite the boy’s blank expression, Chihaya didn’t sense any animosity from him. His eyes then fell to the cards with a small nod of acknowledgement.

“I suppose it would make sense an endowed like yourself would use your talents this way,” he then dug his hand into his pocket and rested a small, red stone on her table along with a hundred-thousand yen beneath it. “One of your holy stones, please.”

“Oh,” Chihaya turned towards the box of holy stones behind her and handed him one pink-coloured stone. “So… um… why so suddenly-”

“I pray that one day, a miracle shall be bestowed upon you on your journey.” And with that the boy left the way he came, disappearing without a sound.

Chihaya squinted at the unturned deck on her table, curiosity and apprehension teetered in her mind. Despite what the boy's refusal, she felt the need to know the meaning behind her premonition.

She turned over the card to surmise his identity.

Aeon.

A card that rarely shows in her readings.

_How strange. I don't remember adding this in the deck today._

Her brows furrowed at the card, her divination informing her of a whole new world beyond the scape of the known reality.

_Someone who is not of this world..._

* * *

"In other words, rather than an orange stone, they were selling salt crystals."

Cobe nodded at Chamomile's summary.

"Huh," Thomas snorted, raising the salt crystal to his eye level. "Thank goodness, it'd be bad if orange stone smuggling rumour turned out to be real."

"What a strange booth," the albino pondered aloud. "How does salt save a person's fate from ruin?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm almost there guys. I hope this rewrite process hadn't gone for too long.


	20. Epilogue 1

The roads of Shinjuku remain narrow and restless. Crowds of tourists wander about with awe and curiosity gleaming in their eyes. Men beckoning pitiful victims to come at their station, enticing them with words like wanting to have a good time.

Goro bypassed the crowded scenes, showing his ID to the police before entering the narrow alleyways. It’s strange to think that even after almost a year, a sign of his allegiance to Shido gave him enough diplomatic immunity to cross these isolating areas with ease. As the detective made his strides within these shadowed streets, a figure in a blue suit entered his vantage.

“Some detective prince of justice,” the man scoffed, keeping his hands stuffed in his pocket. “To think he’d send you, of all people for the job.”

“He had always asked for the unreasonable at times,” Goro smiled coldly. “But I can assure you, it’s nothing I, myself, can’t handle.”

“A good kid like you shouldn’t be hangin’ around with folks like us. Why’d you go and end up being his goffer.”

“I’m not.”

He unholstered his gun from his back, his silencer already screwed on as he pointed it at the man’s face.

“Wait what the-!”

The bullet whistled out of the barrel and pierced the man’s forehead. Goro watched as the man’s petrified expression stare back at him before collapsing. The boy lowered his weapon, raising his head up to find Shido’s respective cleaners watching from afar. He raised a hand to signal the end of his duty, prompting the cleaners to come rushing in. They collected the dead body and began cleaning off whatever evidence he may have left behind.

As all this took place, the boy stared at his hands.

To think it had only been less than a day when these very same hands held Mira Saito on the rooftop.

Was it pity? Was he moved with emotion when he saw a lot of himself in her?

Despite how dirty she may have seen herself, or how unworthy she might have felt; her hands were cleaner. She hadn’t sought for vengeance. She was just a broken chip out of place in the world she had entered in.

Goro handed over his weapon and gloves to one of the cleaners, instructing them to throw the damn thing with the rest of them. Though guns with silencers don’t come cheap, he’d much prefer to keep his own weapon for a change rather than rely on someone else’s.

He turned his heel away from the crime scene, slipping on a new pair of gloves.

_It’ll be the entrance exams soon. I wonder what university would she be attending to?_

He scoffed at himself, finding it more than ironic for him to be worrying about something so frivolous.

* * *

Standing over the rooftop, a pair of watchful green eyes leaned over the alleyways. Arms crossed as the stranger’s gaze followed the assassin till, he disappeared into the wider streets. With a frown, they turned their head away, perturbed at the sight before they took a leap of faith into the open air.

End of Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys. I'm sorry for the entire run-around with this fic and deciding to end things here. But fear not, there is more to come. As you see at the newly added tags, I've decided to put this into a multi-part series to help me "breath" in my line of thinking when I'm writing this. Plus, based on my own pacing, I realise this story will be ridiculously long. I'd rather spare everyone's time by dividing it into parts.  
> To those who have been keeping track of this mess of a fic, thank you for granting me so much of your time. I really hope to see you guys on the next one because things have just scarcely begun. I've yet to decide how I'm gonna organize this fanfic series in fanfiction.net so... yeah. More on that on my last announcement.


	21. Not a chapter just art

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won't delete this announcement chapter, so rest assured.

To compensate for lost time: here's a few sketches for some of me and my brother's OCs:

(My digital art skills isn't 'up' there yet, so these were the better ones I've drawn of them)

Originally the Starcatcher team was supposed to be characters in a Visual Novel idea I had in mind. But because I don't know how to code, even less so with the other miscellaneous details, I abandoned the idea altogether. It was a funny idea, now that I think about it, with Reina Orion as the protagonist. But because her entire story arc was dark and her initial character wasn't likeable, I knew it wouldn't work out. Each time I wrote in her perspective, it took a psychological toll on me back then.

Who knows, after this fic, I might be able to brave it out and write her story better next time.

Then after I encountered a few OC fanfics of different franchises, it was an idea I wanted to try my hand in at some point. At first, I did try it on RWBY, but I never got around to finishing that, even less so on publishing that fic.

So here we are...


	22. Last announcement before proceeding to part 2

To be honest, this is just a rambling chapter on my thoughts as I was writing this fic. You can go ahead and ignore my written ruminations and go straight to the art.

Here we are, I guess?

When I first wrote this fic, I really had the intention of ending it at chapter 5, surmising the highlights of the game and end it with something a little more open-ended. But over time, the intended heroine was pushed aside, the chemistry wasn't working and the pre-existing ocs that my brother and I made felt out of place. When I wrote Mira, she came as a surprise for myself as I thought long and hard about who she is as a character. I didn't want to make her a character who's existence serve as just a romantic interest, I wanted to make her character have a sense of conviction. I realise as I wrote this fic, I might have been over-compensating her character with a little more gloom. Rewriting this fic made me realise this.

As it turns out, rewriting might not have been the best plan of action if I haven't even finished the fic yet. But having to go through the story's stages while trying to weave them into the P5 storyline had me throwing my head back in utter frustration. I keep asking: _why I am I doing this? I shouldn't take this seriously, but I am? It's just fanfic, its not like it has consequences._ I asked this almost every single day and came to a conclusion that maybe I just wanted to do something big for once for me to look back at it with a little more pride.

Anyway. I digress.

I decided to divide things into a multi-part fic because I feel that it'll be annoying to keep track of long fic for both me and the readers. That, and it gives me a fresher perspective in how I should approach this story while keeping specific tones consistent within each designated arc. So what I'm gonna do is divide this fic into the palaces of p5, that way, by the end of each arc, everyone should at least keep track of where and when it's taking place. This is a point of the story I really wanted to get to, but as things stand, I've decided to do things this way until I figure something out.

Alright, enough talk. I'm gonna shut up now and give you a few art for compensation:

Random Mira sketches:

Mira in the P5 art style

Thomas Springs (redesign)

William Terridowe

Chamomile Springs (redesign)

Linda Tinders (redesign without the bomber jacket)

Reina and Cobe

**Author's Note:**

> First of all: Thanks for reading. Now. Judge me. Boil me. Burn me. I want honest opinions on my writing, so don't hold back in the comment section.


End file.
